Life Just Got Weird
by TheMaskedTimelord
Summary: After Karai disappeared, saying she was losing her mind as a mutant, I lost my brother, Leonardo. My family and I have been getting through it and I even became leader with the help of my bros. Imagine my surprise when years later I find Karai in New York. Not only that, but she has a small mutant turtle that looks just like Leo. Life was strange, but it just got weird. -Raph
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! This is my first fanfiction story! This may seem a little strange at first, but I love this idea. I have already wrote a few chapters for this story, but I now have the courage to put them on here. Please tell me what you think and how to make this awesome!**

 **Disclaimer: Sadly, no, I don't own TMNT. When I take over the world, maybe then I will. *evil laugh***

Chapter 1

Raphael's P.O.V

I always did love running across the rooftops, whether it was when me and my bros were on patrol or just out to have fun. Even after having an argument and just wanting some air, it felt so good. Almost as if you were part of the wind and you were limitless.

I jumped to the next building and landed with a somersault. With my knees still bent, I pull out my T-phone to look at the time. I growled under my breath. It was three thirty. Casey was an hour late. I can't really blame the guy though. After his dad's death, he has been really busy caring for his little sister and taking a whole bunch of jobs. I was actually really surprised when he suggested coming out tonight.

I decided to go check up on him and took off running towards his house. As I was running I heard a small beep come from my phone. Recognizing it's a text message, I stopped on the building I was standing on to take a breather and read it. I learned from experience that texting while running across rooftops is almost as bad as texting while driving.

Mikey:

Patrol 2morrow nite? It's been 4ever man!

I smile at his message. Even at age twenty-one, he uses those shortcuts as if he was still fifteen. I remember him telling me that the main reason he does that is to bother Donnie. D hates when people don't use proper grammar. Donnie stopped reading messages because he claimed it gave him a migraine every time he read them.

I replied with "Sure! I'm up 4 it." before running again. We don't go on patrols much anymore. After the whole incident with Leo and Karai disappearing, the Foot seemed to disappear and there was less activity in the city.

Karai disappeared, claiming she was losing her sanity. We were all pretty crushed, especially Splinter. We never gave up; we still have hope Karai is still out there and we can still help her. Of course, our hope has gotten smaller over the past five to six years, but it's still there. Donnie still works on the retro mutagen to help her, but we can't really give her retro mutagen and fix her if we don't have her. He also still has some kind of machine to look for her, we just haven't found a trace of her. Just like the Foot, she seemed to disappear from the face of the Earth.

The incident with Leo is an entirely different story. A story none of us really like to talk about. It was suppose to be a simple mission. We heard the Foot might have been trying to communicate. Donnie and Leo thought they were either trying to get more weapons or the Shredder thought they could help him change Karai back. According to the info we got, it was a big warehouse on the outskirts of the city. We weren't even suppose to interfere unless it was truly necessary. We get to the warehouse after dark and we sit on the beams at the top of the ceiling of the roof. Even Mikey was able to stand still.

We saw Foot-bots, carrying supplies to and from a black van just outside. They kept beeping at each other, as if it was their own language. We couldn't figure out what was in the boxes they were carrying but we were positive it wasn't good. So we sat there for what seemed like forever, communicating with hand signals and text messages with our phones on silent. Everything was going fine, until we realized it was a trap.

Bombs were rigged behind us. They were small so they wouldn't have killed us; but, they made us fall off the beams and onto our faces. Immediately a fight broke out and the building erupted into chaos. Leo noticed the Foot was focusing most of their attacks on Donnie. I remember Leo yelling for us to protect him and how Shredder probably wanted him to fix Karai since he has become obsessed with getting his "daughter" back. I also remember Mikey saying some joke along the lines of "What? I'm not smart enough? When I open my own exotic pizza shop, we'll see who's smart then!" Little did we know what was going to happen next.

They seemed to keep coming out of nowhere. When one would go down, one if not two would take its place. Leo was telling us to make our way out of here. Mikey was just about to throw a smoke bomb when one of the Foot-bots grabbed Leo by the neck, choking him and pulling him back. I yelled at Mikey and Donnie to get out of here since Donnie was their main topic. Fortunately, they listened to me. If they didn't, who knows what would have happened. I fought my way through tons of Foot-bots, trying to get to my brother who was also struggling and fighting. He got free and we ended up fighting back to back. We started making a clear path for us to get out of. I thought we were going to make it. I thought we would go home and celebrate another victory with some late night pizza. Boy, was I wrong.

I turned towards my brother. I was going to tell him "Let's get out of here!" but I never got the words to leave my mouth. He turned his head towards me, his eyes so wide with so much fear. I have never seen him like this before. I will never forget his face. How at one moment it was full of so much fear then the next it was filled with determined love. He kicked me hard in the gut, shooting me to the other side of the warehouse. I never even got the chance to get up before another explosion pushed me out of the warehouse.

I remember waking up to see Donnie and Mikey above me, looking down in worry. I was slightly aware of them calling my name and talking to me, but that was it. My mind was fuzzy and I couldn't think. I didn't fully wake up till the next morning, when it was too late. I woke up in my bed with bandages covering me. I had burns, cuts, and one killer headache. Donnie was the one who found me awake. He said he was coming in to check on the bandages and all that medical stuff. He said Master Splinter needed to talk to me. My memory over the fight was still blurry and I didn't really think much of it.

Master Splinter came in minutes later, bags under his eyes, kind of like Donnie did. He sat down on my bed beside me. He told me that the explosion shot me out of the building but Leo never made it out. The Foot left right after the explosion destroyed the warehouse. There was no proof Leo was dead, but there was also no proof he was alive. I told him that Leo was alive and Splinter could only nod. I remember punching my bed and crying. I think Master Splinter gave me a hug but even the night was still blurry to me to this day.

We searched for him or for any clues for days. It was maybe about a week later before we got Shredder's message. We were on patrol when April called us, sounding scared and we could hear her crying. I was sure I heard Casey cussing in the background. We got to her apartment to see something that I will see again and again in my nightmares. Leo's bandana, torn and bloodstained, tied to his broken Katanas. Next to them was a large amount of blood. Some of it wrote "Hope you enjoyed your brother while you could" with a large X underneath it. Mikey broke down crying while tears filled Donnie's eyes. I cried and punched anything in my path. Casey was the one to stop me and pull me in a hug and let me cry in his shoulder. April did the same for Donnie and Mikey.

We took Leo's old stuff home and told Splinter what we saw. He was heartbroken and we all ended up sobbing our hearts out. We continued searching, even though we were sure he was dead. However, after five to six years, reality starts to hit you. We don't really have a leader now. Sure, I make a lot of the decisions, but Don really helps me out. We all depend on each other now.

Shaking my head, wanting to forget the memory for now, I continue jumping from building to building. It took me a while to remember where his house is. We don't usually stop by because he's been more busy and his sister still doesn't know about us except maybe our names. I've seen her a little bit and she seems pretty cool, but the subject just never really came up. Maybe I should talk to him about that.

After maybe about ten to twenty minutes, I finally reach his house. His room is right by a fire escape so it was easier for him to get out when we would go on patrols in the good old days. I carefully use it to go down quietly and look in his window. A small smile crosses my face when I see him with only half of his fighting gear on and sprawled over his bed. I flip my T-phone out and dial his number. I see his phone on his desk on the other side of the room glow and vibrate. Casey didn't even move. He must be really out.

"Hey bone head," I say after the boring voice machine stopped talking. "I know by the time you get up and see this, you'll see that you left me hanging. Hey, I know you been having a hard time." I tilt my head like Ice Cream Kitty did when he first saw a pickle. "And from the look of how you are lying on your bed, you really need to catch some Z's. Don't worry, I promise I won't take any pictures. Whenever you feel like bashing some heads, just let me know and don't worry, I'll help you find trouble. Take care Case' and don't work that brain-dead head of yours too hard. See ya, 'round."

I hang up and turn to leave before taking one last look at Casey. It's sad how me and my bros were looking so forward to becoming adults, and this is what life is now like. I let out a sigh before climbing to the roof and taking off. I still had a few hours to kill; might as well not waste them.

After about an hour of running and kicking two Purple Dragons gangs' butts, I decide to just chill at Mr. Murakami's old shop. Last I heard, his niece was taking care of him. Me and my bros send him letters and we would watch his niece read it to him late at night by candlelight. Sometimes we would also talk to him when he was alone.

I also remember hanging out with April. She went to college just last year. It was hard losing someone again, but we knew she had a life besides us mutant turtles. I was too sad to actually hear what she was wanting to be; I should probably ask Donnie about that. Speaking of which, everyone took her leaving hard. Donnie still liked her, but I think he believes it won't work and he doesn't want to hold her back from her dream. Every now and then, I hear him having long conversations with her on the phone or on the computer. I also know it's not the same. Mikey was losing his one out of only two human friends. He is a very socal kid and I know he really wants to be friends with most of the humans out there in the world. Making friends, he could so do; losing friends, was like losing a part of him.

Master Splinter was losing another student. Even though he didn't show it, I know that he, like the rest of us, considers her as family. I know he had a hard time letting her go. Casey had a hard time, too. She was the only other human his age that knew our secret. She was also the only one he was willing to accept help from. I know April is trying her best to come back to us as soon as she could, but I also know it's easier said than done.

I enjoy moments like this. When I can just sit and take a break on life and just look back at everything. Even though not much happens anymore, I still want to be there for my family. That is harder than you will think, especially when you have a temper like me. It is getting better, though. However, my moment of looking back at life quickly ended.

I heard the small beeps of Foot-bots and the yelling of maybe Rahzar and some other goons. My eyes widen and I hop to my feet. I haven't heard that noise in forever. Was my mind playing tricks on me? Only one way to find out, I guess.

I jump towards the noises while taking my phone out of my pocket, ready to dial for help. The noises grew louder and I see them. A group of Foot soldiers following Rahzar and Fishface down the street. My heart skips a beat. They're here. They're back. And they are chasing something. Dialing Donnie's number, I take off running ahead of them, wanting to see what they would be chasing.

"Hello?" a surprised and tired sounding voice sounding like Donnie asks through the phone.

"D! The Foot are back! Track my phone and get over here!" I say loudly, maybe more excited than I should be.

"What? Are you serious? Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

"Yes I'm serious and no, Mom. I'm fine. Just get over here! They are chasing something and I'm going to find out what and I know you want to know, too." I hang up before he can say anymore. I finally found some action and I didn't want Donnie to ruin it.

I guess I've been running so fast I ran really far from the Foot. I can barely hear the annoying beeping I missed so much. I decide to jump down the nearest alley and wait. I hear something I didn't expect. I heard a small hissing and hard breathing. No, it wasn't possible; was it?

I walk out of the alley to become face to face with Karai. She's taller and looks older. Her skin is slightly more silver and she's heavily. There were small bruises and cuts covering her face. This wasn't the weirdest though. What was really strange, was what she was holding in her arms. In her arms, was a small mutant turtle, who was staring back at me with wide, scared eyes. His eyes, were my brother's.

Life just got weird.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys! New chapter! I can't promise this is how fast all the other updates will be, but I got bored and I just finished chapter 8 on my computer last night and decided to celebrate. This chapter is a bit before the first one and talks about Karai and Leo a bit and where they were.**

 **Also, THANK YOU SO MUCH for reviewing (Insanity21 and Izi Wilson) and for following/favoring this story. When I first saw them, I danced around my room ;)**

 **(P.S Author note at bottom as well)**

 **Disclaimer: Do I have to do this every chapter? It's so sad and heart breaking... Fine. I don't own TMNT. But I own a FEZ! Fezzes are cool**

Karai's P.O.V

( ½ hour earlier)

I open my eyes to see my son curled next to me, sleeping peacefully. I told myself not to wake him since his dreams are often filled with nightmares. I remember how one night he woke up screaming, refusing to speak the entire day. He has matured since then, but his nightmares remain.

I start to slowly uncoil my scaly body around him when my movement wakes him. I guess some of his old ninja training remains in him to this day. His tired, blue eyes blink up at me before he lets out a huge yawn.

"Good morning, Leonardo," I say softly. He rubs his eyes and scoots closer to my body, trying to get warm. I put one of my snake hands up to his cheek so he looks up at me with his eyes half closed. "Come on, Leo. You should get up and walk around. We have a whole day to get ready for." He shutters once before nodding, yet gets closer in search for comfort.

I remember back when I first started caring for young Leonardo. He first started speaking like a snake. He would hiss his words and wouldn't speak in full sentences. Luckily, with some help from Baxter Stockman and who-knows-what chemicals, I was able to speak properly and correctly which improved Leo's speaking habits as well. I have to admit, I do miss it every now and then. It was adorable.

I don't want my son to wake up sad and scared, so I decide to lighten things up a bit. I open the mouths on my hands and used the tiny tongues to tickle his sides. He starts to giggle, trying to hold in his laughter. Trying to push away my hands, his laughter slowly starts getting louder.

"Mommy!" he yelled between breaths and laughter with a smile on his face. "Stop it, Mommy!"

"Stop what?" I ask innocently. "I'm just exercising my hands. Maybe you should stop laughing."

I smile as he laughs harder. He then opens his eyes and looks at me with an evil glint. Before I can react, he jumps towards me and starts to tickle me with his small, three fingers. I can barely feel his fingers due to my rough and metal-like skin. I'm mostly laughing about how quick his speed is even though his past is lost to him and he is young. If I could teach him, I'm sure he could become an even better ninja than he was before.

I lift him into the air above me, both of us smiling at each other. We cherish these moments and there are so few of them. Ever since I was taken by Shredder, life has been difficult. Who knows what would have happened to me if Leo was not here to keep me company. He flaps his arms around and kicks his feet, laughing. I lower him in a few seconds, knowing Leo would begin to panic if I continued to keep him above my head. Once his little feet touched the ground, he ran to me and hugged me tight.

I quickly returned his gesture. "I love you, my son," I whisper, kissing his forehead.

His big, blue eyes look up at me and gives me a small smile. "I love you too, Mommy."

I bring him close to me and slightly rock him. I want to stay like this forever. Feel no more fear, pain, or sadness. However, like all good things in my life, it must come to an end. Honing in some of my old ninja skills, I can hear the footsteps coming closer to our cell and I tense up. They are coming. I can only hope they won't take him away and hope I am taken instead.

Leo must have felt me tense because his body became rigid under my arms. "Mommy?" The questioning voice is small and scared, and I realize then that Leo assumed that I have changed. Stockman has created a formula that temporarily keeps my sanity and humanity. When the effects wear off, I revert into a clueless mutant. Leo has been able to adapt when I change since we are together most of the time in this cell. He told me how I would coil myself around him and he would go still, barely breathing. After a while, I'll start to uncoil and glare at him dangerously. Leo would then look at me and bow his head low, telling the mutant side of me that he means no harm. After that, he would leave me alone and barely look at me until I change back.

"Get behind me, Leonardo, and don't say anything," I say fiercely and quietly, hoping he understands that they are coming for one of us.

He quickly moved behind me but continued to hug me tightly. I could feel him shaking slightly but there is nothing I can do to comfort him. The door opens to reveal a couple of Foot-bots. One steps forward and its eyes glow red.

"The turtle will need to come with us," it says in a robotic monotone voice. Stockman has been slowly improving a couple of the Foot-bots to speak.

Leo gasped and tightened his grip. I narrowed my gaze at them. I made a promise to cooperate for them. However, I never promised to willingly let them take my son. That is a promise I can never keep.

The Foot-bots must have already anticipated this because two came forward in battle stances and began running toward me on both sides. I whip my tail at the one on my right, coiling around its neck until its head popped off like in the movies. For the one coming on my left, I use the mouths on my hands to rip off its arms before punching it to the ground. Having controlled them once, I knew that if you didn't start tearing them apart, they will just come right back up. The memory of when I captured Leonardo years ago and first used the Foot-bots against him appeared in my head. I would have never thought I would be here years later, protecting a younger version of himself as if he was my own.

Three more came toward me and the battle really began. As I'm slowly taking them down, one must have gone past me because I felt a sudden jam into my side and send an electrical current through me. Over my yell, I can here Leo scream. Of course, he was still holding on to me. I'm no scientist, but I know electricity can travel through things, like a giant mutant metal snake. I fell to the ground, black dots appearing in my vision.

 _Fight for Leo,_ I tell myself. _Fight for Leo._

I feel two Foot soldiers lift me up by my arms, probably to get me out of their way. I lift my head and see another Foot soldier holding Leo. His eyes were starting to flutter back open and he seemed out of it. I use my tail to reach for him, but it instead grabs the soldier's leg. The robot looks down at it the same time I do and I'm sure we are both thinking what will happen next. We look at each other and I give an evil smirk.

"My turn," I whisper.

I pulled as hard as I could and watched as it fell to the floor with a loud clang. Since he was still holding Leo tightly, he helped cushion my son's fall. My son shakes his head and looks up to see the Foot-bot inches from his face. His eyes widen and he lets out a small yelp before rolling off of it and quickly getting to the back wall.

Focusing my attention on the two bots on my arms, I used all my strength to swing my arms around to my front and cause them to crash into each other, sending small, metal parts everywhere. Letting out some of my anger, I do it repeatedly until only their arms are still holding on to my forearms. I shake them off and see the third Foot-bot come up to me out of the corner of my eye. Before I was able to attack, a Foot-bot's head hits it, causing both our heads to turn to the person who threw it: Leo. Taking advantage of the distraction, I jump on the final bot and use the small teeth on my hands to pull out cords that look important.

When the robot died underneath me, I turn back at Leo who is still standing with his back against the back wall.

"Are you alright?" I ask him.

He responds with a small smile and a nod.

I gesture to the robot head he threw. "Nice job."

His smile grows. "A ninja can use anything as a weapon."

Part of me wonders if he quoted Master Splinter without realizing it. I don't remember ever telling him that. A thought comes in my head and I turn around to realize I was correct. They have let the door wide open. This is it. We can escape.

Leo must have realized I was thinking something because I can hear him step towards me. "Mom?"

I turn to look at him and try to get down low so I can get closer to his eye level.

"Leonardo, I need you to listen closely to me and do everything I tell you to do from now on, okay?"

My voice was steady and serious, and I knew he understood something big was about to happen by the way he squared his small shoulders and nodded.

"I need you to hold on to me and not let go. When I start running away, I need you to tell me when the Bad Men are getting closer. I need you to also be as quiet as possible. I need you to be strong for me, alright?"

He nods. "Okay, Mommy," he whispers.

I smile before picking him up and hold him tightly. Then I slither out the door to our freedom. Most of the white hallways look the same, so I have no idea how we are going to get out of here. Since I have been mutated, Shredder has been changing and adding to the tower. I remember him telling me when I was younger to try to change it as much as possible so it's harder to get in. Obviously, people have broken into his headquarters before. Even though I'm sure things have changed, I was sure one thing stayed the same.

Trying to be as quiet as a giant mutant snake can be, I came to a dark door at the end of a hallway. There was a small keypad for the password and I remembered it all these years. "Ninja Girl."

Unlocking the door, I quickly go through and lock the door behind me. I sat Leo down so I could look for anything that would be useful. I'm officially running away and I want to take all I could.

"What is this, Mom?" I hear Leo ask.

I turn to see him looking around the dark red room. There were posters, drawings, pictures, even some weapons, and a few other things.

"Remember how I used to be here before, a long time ago, when I was younger?"

He nods. The story still confuses him because my past seems too confusing for a young child. He doesn't understand that the "Bad Men" weren't bad to everyone; or he doesn't understand (or doesn't want to) that I used to work with them.

"This used to be my old room," I say, picking up some of the old toys I had. I have always tried to be strong and not really childlike when I was younger, but I was still a child and still had some child moments. Of course, this didn't mean I wanted to pretend I was a princess and I was rescued by a great prince. My games usually had some more action in them.

"Can I look around?" Leo asks, interested.

"Only for a bit," I say with a grin. Ever since Leo has turned to this age, he didn't have a good childhood. He didn't have toys, didn't really play, didn't have any friends. Maybe looking at my old room will give him a little freedom and a few ideas.

As I start packing some old photos and some of my weapons I kept in my room, I see Leo out of the corner of my eye, grabbing a stuffed elephant I had on my bed. I smile as some of the old memories pop into my head. I slowly slide over to him and he quickly puts it back, as if he would get in trouble if he touched anything.

I pick up the old elephant and look at it. "I had this since I was very young. It was there to help me through some bad times in my life and helped remind me of some good times." I look down at Leo and hand him the elephant. "I want you to have it, Leonardo. It will help you through the tough times and help you know that I love you, very much."

He smiles up at me and carefully takes the elephant and holds it close. "I'll take good care of him. I promise."

I smile down at him before going back to packing all I can. When I decided I had enough supplies that will help us, I throw it over my shoulders.

"We need to go, Leo."

He instantly but silently ran over to me with the elephant to his chest. I pick him up before opening the door. Before shutting the door behind me, I looked back one last time. I was leaving half of my life behind me. All the memories that made my childhood; a childhood filled with lies.

I look down at Leo who looked at me with concern filling his eyes. I shut the door before quickly going down the hallway. I may be leaving the childhood of my old life, but I had a new one to live in. A better one to make new memories.

Alarms go off and I know the Shredder knows we escaped. Holding Leo tightly, I quicken my speed. I know I won't really be able to fight against any Foot soldiers with me holding both Leo and a bag of supplies. Instead of fighting, I dodge and use my tail to trip anybody in my way. I was determined to get out of here. We were here for far too long. We are going to escape.

The escape seemed to go by like a blur. I found the throne room, the last room to our freedom. I slid towards it, but was stopped cold by a figure landing in front of me. I immediately recognized him and I let out a low, threatening hiss.

"My daughter," Shredder starts, "I can help you return to your true form instead this disgusting mutant. Join me, and we can fix this and get revenge on Hamato Yoshi."

"I am not your daughter," I growl out. "And the only person I will get revenge on is you! For lying and holding me captive, and hurting me and Leonardo!"

I spit acid at him and used it as a distraction to get away as fast as I could, tripping him on my way out. I hear him growl and say something along the lines of "Bring her to me!" but I didn't stay long enough to find out. I know that he doesn't care what happens to Leo and I will not let Shredder take me and him ever again.

I suck in a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air. I hear Leo give a small gasp in awe. This is the first time since he changed he had seen the night sky. He has always been inside Shredder's tower and I wish I could show him around more. Sadly, that is not possible. I glided down any street nearby that could shake them off my trail. I wasn't expecting to see an adult turtle with a red bandana walking in front of me. Raphael.

His eyes were wide when they saw me and I'm sure they grew a couple inches when he saw Leo in my arms. I want to explain everything. I want to tell him how Leo came this way and how I took him as my own. I hear the sounds of Foot soldiers and I then know we don't have enough time to talk about what happened over the past five years or so.

"Help us!" I whisper the plea to him, gesturing my head slightly to the army coming our direction.

He grabs his sais but doesn't turn his gaze from my son in my arms. I haven't really gotten to know Raphael all that well so I can't help but tense up slightly, growing unsure on what he is going to do. Leo must have felt me tense up for at that moment he looked up and saw Raph. I hear him inhale sharply at seeing another mutant turtle and he turns his surprised eyes to me.

"Mommy," he breathes, "it's one of the turtles from my dream."

I look down at him before looking back at the armed Raph in a battle stance.

Life just got a whole lot weirder. And a whole lot more interesting.

 **HI AGAIN! I told you I would be back! WHAHAHAHAHAHA! Just wanted to let you know that I will try to get every character to say something along the lines of "life just got weird" but probably only once per character. If you guys have any ideas on the story or advice to make it better, please tell me. Thanks guys! And don't worry, I shall return :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hello again everyone! I was going to post this chapter earlier, but I wanted my mom (another fan of TMNT) to read my chapters and edit them for me. Turns out she got confused and reread Chapter 1, then went to Chapter 3, then reread Chapter 2, then went to the unfinished Chapter 9...I love my mother dearly. After showing her how to count, ;) she said she was going to try again tomorrow while I'm at school. So let's see how that works!**

 **Also, I want to thank you guys SO much for favoriting, following, and reviewing. Chapter 1 had like two (awesome!) reviews and now it has gone up to NINE all together so far! You guys ROCK!**

 **Here are some review replies from Chapter 2's reviews:**

 **Izi Wilson** **: Thank you! Glad you like it :)**

 **Sairey13** **: Yes, I know, it sounds crazy. I originally picture Karai thinking of Leo and the turtles as brothers after she was on their side and before she started taking care of Leo. Also, you will find out more on what happened to them in later chapters. If you have a question or if I'm not making sense, let me know and I'll be happy to help :)**

 **Jay1997** **: I'm glad I have opened your eyes ;P Also, I'm sooo glad you like it :) And here is your update!**

 **Insanity21** **: I'm so happy you think this is awesome! Now, your suffering shall end for I bring forth a new chapter ;)**

 **Guest:** ***evil grin* let's just say their lives just got interesting and I'm evil and like to make them go through a lot ;) }:)**

 **tmntlover2013** **: Thanks :) and you are very much welcome for the update ;)**

 **Guest:** **Sort of Leorai, a mother and son type of Leorai ;). Also, are you hoping for more chapters or stories in the future? Cause I'm currently working on Chapter 9 and I do actually have a few other story ideas. Anyway, glad you are enjoying the story and I hope you continue reading ;)**

 **Okay, I'm done now ;). Please review (reviews make me happy :) ) and if you have any questions or tips, feel free to ask/tell. Also, do we have to wait for new TMNT episodes until JUNE!? :.( D: It's so sad!**

 **Disclaimer: Nope! But I have a pin that says "Trust Me I'm a Ninja"!**

Donatello's P.O.V

When Raph hung up on me, I couldn't help but jump up from the bed and start putting on my gear. I couldn't believe the Foot were out again. If they're chasing something, then they must be up to something. I also couldn't believe how stupid Raph was to go on his own. With his luck, he will be caught right in the middle of a huge fight and Mikey and I will have to come and save the day.

I almost ran to Mikey's room. I hate to admit it, but I was excited. Maybe things will almost be normal again. Sure, things have been getting better; but, things still felt slow. Our home will never be the same after all these years, but maybe the Foot can change that. Of course, the Foot helping us is a weird and scary thought so who knows.

I pound on the door to Mikey's room while trying to tie my purple bandanna to my face with my bo staff in my other hand. This resulted to me smacking myself in the head with it a couple times, though. I didn't have to wait long for Mikey to answer the door. He was usually up pretty late at night. We would often find him on his phone or watching an old show we used to watch as teens on his tiny TV he found. I almost regret fixing it up for him. For a turtle who loves and is obsessed with technology, knowledge, and all sorts of new invention, I don't like him just sitting in his room at night and watching episodes of "Super Robo Mecha Force Five" or "Space Heroes" or something like that. I will also never understand how he still seems to wake up and have enough energy for the entire Foot army for a decade.

"What is it, D?" Mikey asks, letting out a small yawn.

"Raph just called," I say quickly. "Apparently the Foot are after something and we need to figure out what and get there before Raph does something stupid."

"You would think after getting almost killed a tons of times he would have learned by now," Mikey says with a smile, grabbing his nunchucks.

"One would think," I say to him as I make my way out of the lair. I have to stop when I

don't hear Mikey's foot steps behind me. He looks back at me with a small smile on his face.

I give him a confused look. "Mikey, what are you doing? I know you have an extremely short attention span so let me remind you we are after the Foot."

"But that's just it," he says and takes a few steps toward me. "We haven't done this forever. I forgot how cool it felt. Us going on missions, going all ninja and kicking butt, saving the world. I missed that."

I understand how Mikey feels and I can't blame him for enjoying the moment. However, we need up to the surface as quick as possible. Using my great intelligence, I come up with the best possible conclusion that could hurry Mikey along.

"The quicker we go the quicker I will buy you a large pizza with anything you want on it."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" he almost yells and jumps over me.

"We can follow Raph's T-phone," I tell him.

He stops just as we are about to head out of the lair and deeper into the sewers. I decided I was just going to leave him and let him catch up. I stopped when I heard what Mikey was doing.

"We'll be right back, Sensei!" I heard him call to the Lair. "We need to check on Raph up on the surface and be right back! We also need to get pizza!"

I can't believe I almost left without telling Sensei! Even though we are technically adults, he still can be a little protective and still wants to know exactly when we leave the Lair, why we are leaving, and where we are going. I'm sure I'm going to get an ear full when we get back. I'm pretty sure he will not hesitate to ground us, either. I really hope I don't have to find out.

With Mikey only being a few steps behind me, we went through the sewers following Raph's signal. I wasn't the only one excited, because I could see Mikey bouncing slightly with every step he took out of the corner of my eye. I felt the corner of my mouth tilt upwards into a small smile. I haven't seen him this excited since we celebrated our latest Mutation Day with pizza and a new episode of his newest show.

The rest of the trip seemed to be a blur until I noticed his signal was moving quickly towards our way. I stopped on the rooftop we were standing on to make sure nothing was wrong with the T-phone.

"What's up, Donnie? Oh! Did the T-phone finally start talking? I told you robots were going to take over the world!" Mikey said, excitedly.

"No!" I snap, before trying to regain my patience. "Raph's signal is moving. It's moving right towards us."

"Is that good news or bad news, Chief?"

"Not sure. Come on," I say, meeting up with Raph. I hope, anyway.

We continue trying to find Raph. I was silently praying he didn't do something stupid and really got hurt. The last thing I need is an angry Raph stuck in my lab, unable to move. It happens and it is NOT fun. Although, it may be better than an injured but an extremely talkative Mikey.

We hop down a fire escape and land in an alley. I look around before looking back down at my phone.

"If I'm right, and I usually am," I say, walking towards the road and out of the alley, "Raph should be here right about, now!"

I pointed to the end of the alley, knowing Raph should come by any second. Mikey, being Mikey, jogged towards the sidewalk and turned with a smile on his face. He opened his mouth to say something before simply leaving it open and having his face fill with shock. Curiosity got the best of me and I walk over to see what he was looking at. I probably had the same expression as Mikey. Raph was, of course, standing there, breathing slightly heavier than usual. What we weren't expecting, was Karai standing there, breathing heavier than Raph, with a small turtle holding her tight in her arms with a toy elephant. For once, Mikey and I were speechless.

Karai nods her head towards us. "It's good to see you guys again."

"What do you do when you are alone?" Mikey asks, turning back to his normal self.

"Raph. Explain," I command.

"Hey, I just found them being chased down by the Foot. I know nothing just like you two," he explains, putting his hands up in surrender.

"I will explain everything after we are not under attack by the Foot. Please, help us," Karai asks, with a pleading look.

I nod in response. She is family, no matter what form. I almost pictured Master Splinter's face once he sees her again.

"And who is this little guy?" Mikey asks, gesturing towards the little turtle in her arms.

In response, the turtle tightens his hold on Karai and the small elephant, watching us warily. He/she whispered something to her I couldn't catch. She looked down at him/her and whispered something like "We will talk later, okay?" and the turtle didn't argue. I look at the little form closely and see some bruises and some small injuries. They seem to be treated (not expertly) and not too serious, but it made me curious. Our eyes met for a moment and my breath caught in my throat. They looked a little too familiar.

I look to Raph, hoping he would help me out a bit. He simply turned to Karai and I realized he had no idea either. We all turned to her, even the small turtle in her arms. She looked at us seriously before finally speaking.

"Leonardo."

We all tense at the name. "Leonardo" looks at us, probably waiting for our reactions. I feel like I can't breath or move. The turtle definitely had eyes similar to Leo's and he had a small, blue band on his wrist that I didn't notice before. How I missed it, I have no clue. All I know is that this is impossible. My brother who would be about twenty-one if he was still here can not be a five year old! That is simply not possible. I guess teenage mutant ninja turtles are kind of impossible, too.

"What do you mean he's 'Leonardo'?" Raph asks, raising his voice.

"As I said before, I will explain later," Karai snaps back, raising her voice as well. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before continuing. "We need to take Leo somewhere safe so he doesn't get hurt. The rest of us can fight off the Foot."

Leo looks up at Karai with wide eyes.

Raph turns serious. "Alright. Me, Karai, and Mikey will fight off the Foot as long as we can and get to the sewers as quick as we can. Donnie you take," he hesitates, "Leonardo to the Lair and make sure he's alright."

Mikey and I give a nod of approval and Karai sits Leo down.

"Mommy," Leo said quietly, his voice filled with concern and fear. He stood next to her and looked up at her, holding the elephant in his hands tighter. It was obvious he was not fond of this plan.

Mikey turns to look at me in shock when the word "Mommy" comes out of Leo's mouth. Raph looks at me as well, but with a look of anger, losing his calm, leader-like feature. He mouths the same word that was causing this fuss. I have to admit, I am shocked by this as well. I do understand, though. If they have been held captured together, then there was definitely going to be some sort of bond between them. I give them both a look, trying to tell them to calm down. Raph huffs and turns away while Mikey gives a small nod, probably not sure how to take this.

"Leonardo, I know you're scared; but, I need you to stay strong and go with the turtle with the purple bandanna," she says kindly. "I will be there as soon as I can."

"But what if the Bad Men get you? I don't want you to go back to the small room." I can't see his face, but I'm sure he is tearing up. He's shoulders are starting to shake and I can hear him sniffing.

Karai stops to think for a moment before looking at me and my brothers. I'm guessing by the smirk on her face, she got an idea. She put her hands on his shoulders and looks back at him.

"Do you remember the stories I tell you? About the heroes saving the city?" she asks. After receiving a nod from the small turtle, she starts to continue. "These are the turtle heroes I told you about. They will protect me and you from the Bad Men and make sure nothing bad happens to us."

Leo quickly turns around and looks at me and my brothers. Mikey gets into a superhero pose. Me and Raph look at each other, slightly unsure. However, like me, I know he is feeling proud. We were the heroes in a story. Being us, we can't help but feel full of pride. I'm also slightly scared because I know Mikey will never let this down.

After a few moments, he turns back to her. "Why are there only three? I thought you said there were four?"

My heart seems to tighten and it gets harder to breathe again. We all looked at each other, not sure how to answer his question. I can't stop an image of Leo being dragged away by a Foot soldier from entering my mind.

"One is gone. He is on his own crazy mission," Karai ends up saying to him.

"Will he come back soon?" he asks innocently.

"Maybe," Karai says, obviously wanting to get off of this confusing subject. "Now, go with Donatello and I'll be there as soon as I can."

He nods and looks back at me before turning around and giving Karai a hug. Karai hugs him back. Mikey puts his hands together to form a camera and pretends to take a picture. I roll my eyes at him but I can't stop the smile from crossing my face.

"I love you, Mommy," Leo says quietly.

"I love you, too, Leonardo," she whispers back. She let's him go and turns to hear the Foot getting closer. She looks at me and I give a nod, silently telling her I will protect Leo. She gently nudges him towards me and he shyly walks toward me, the elephant tight in his grasp.

When he gets close to me, I gently pick him up and make sure he has his elephant. I look to my brothers and say, "See you guys back at the Lair."

They give a nod before turning and leaving, getting ready to fight some Foot. I took off running towards the sewers, with Leo looking behind me as if looking for his "mother." I was starting to climb a nearby fire escape when I hear a small gasp and feel the small turtle in my arms tense up. I stop and pull Leo back slightly to look at him. He's looking at the ground and barely moving.

"Leo," I start softly, "are you alright?"

He nods but does not move his gaze from the ground beneath us.

The wheels in my head start to turn. "Leo, are you afraid of heights?"

He glances up at me with big, scared, blue eyes before looking back at the floor below. I took that, the silence, and the slight blush on his cheeks as a "yes" and let out a small sigh. I decided not to ask him about it. The poor turtle has been through enough already. I don't think asking would help anything.

I slowly get to the ground, trying not to freak him out anymore than I already have. After my feet touch the pavement, I take off running, taking the long way to the Lair.

Tonight, life just got weirder.

 **(*whispers* Yes, I made Leo afraid of heights again if you didn't find the hint in Chapter 1 };) WHAHAHAHAHA!)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: The wait is over guys! I'm here again with Chapter 4. This chapter is pretty short, but my brother's baseball games have been keeping me busy. (Also, stupid finals coming up! ugh!) Anyway, I should post Chapter Five pretty soon so enjoy! Thank you everyone who has favorited, followed, read, and reviewed this story!**

 **Review Replies for Chapter 3 (wow! you guys reviewed quick!):**

 **Sairey13** **: First off, glad you don't think the story is too weird for you ;) Second, I'm not much of a Leorai fan, but every now and then I'll read a fanfic of them being a thing (usually 2003 but sometimes 2012). I am actually kind of curious on your reasoning behind not being a fan. Mine is because Leo is Master Splinter's adopted son and Karai/Miwa is his daughter and I'm not into that sort of thing. Although, in like some 2003 fanfics (even though she kept betraying him in the series!) there have been some cute ones. Again, feel free to tell me your reasons :) Three (and final) Master Splinter's reaction is coming ;) I would explain it but I'm evil and won't reveal any spoilers }:) I'll just say he is hanging in there ;)**

 **Insanity21:** **I know! Little Leo is sooo cute ;) And, here is your update. Although, there is no real explaining coming in this chapter }:) WHAHAHA! But hope you like this one as well ;) In my opinion, it contains cuteness as well ;)**

 **DP fanboy:** **Hey! Glad you like it :) and here the chapter you have been waiting for ;) Enjoy!**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Thank you and here you go ;)**

 **jelsalover2458: Haha! Thank you ;) Yeah, it can be a bit confusing, but just imagine how confusing for the turtles lol. Things should clear up in a bit and if you have any questions and/or are confused, let me know and I'll help out. But, I don't reveal spoilers ;P**

 **Disclaimer: Nope! But I have...um...*looks around room* a spoon from my school cafeteria someone accidentally took and gave to me! Not a lot of people can say they have that! (Don't steal spoons guys, it's not cool...ish)**

Donatello's P.O.V (Yes, it's Donnie again, Mikey is next, I promise ;) )

The trip to the Lair seems a lot longer than it usually was. Leo has been looking over my shoulder the entire way. He hasn't made any noises except when we got to the sewers, he gave a small gasp. I think he was just surprised this is where we were going.

I decide to slow down a bit since we are halfway there and I should probably call Sensei and give him a head's up. My breath gets caught in my throat at the thought of Master Splinter. His daughter and son have just came back after about five to six years! I can't picture his reaction once he sees this, especially the new form Leo took. Using my free arm, I get my T-phone and scroll through my contacts until I find Master Splinter with my mind still going in overdrive. After clicking the button, I put my phone to my head to hear the annoying ringing.

I feel Leo shiver against my skin and look over at him in concern. "You alright?" I ask, unable to bring up his name.

He looks at me, with a with wide eyes and a shy look on his face. Was he always this shy? He nods before looking back over my shoulder, ending the discussion. I let out a small sigh and focus on the path ahead of me. I was so focused I almost missed Master Splinter's greeting in Japanese.

"Oh! Hi, Sensei," I say, smacking myself mentally for not hearing him earlier and probably freaking him out a bit.

"Donatello," he starts, and I can hear the nervousness in his voice, "what is wrong, my son?"

"First off, we are fine. As far as I know anyway," I reply, saying the last part under my breath so he hopefully didn't hear. "Mikey and Raph are fighting the Foot and I'm heading back home. There is something I need to tell you before I get home."

"What is it, my son?"

"Karai came back. She's still a mutant, but she's willing to come back to the Lair with us. She's helping Raph and Mikey with the Foot right now and will come home with them when they get a chance."

"Miwa," I hear Sensei breathe out, most likely in surprise or shock.

"That's not it, Sensei. There's more."

There's a pause. "Go on, Donatello."

I took a breath. "She brought someone with her." I pause before continuing. "It's Leonardo."

"Leonardo!" my Sensei says in shock and surprise, but louder than earlier. He obviously wasn't expecting that answer.

Leo looks at me with confusion at the mention of his name. I pretend not to notice him. I definitely did not want to explain this to him right now.

"He's," I pause to think how to word this, "different than what you think he is, Master Splinter. He also doesn't remember life outside of Shredder's Lair."

"Shredder's Lair?"

I sigh. "I'll explain all that I can later, Sensei. I'll be home in a bit."

"I shall wait for your return, my son," he says in understanding.

"See you soon," I say before I hang up.

"I never had a life outside of the room."

I turn to Leo with a look of surprise. This is the first time he has spoken to me this whole trip. I truthfully wasn't expecting him to say anything until Karai met up with us again.

"W-w-what?" I stutter. I already forgot what he just said.

"You said I don't remember life before I was in the room," he says again in a small voice. "I never had a life before that. Mommy said I was born there. The Sharp Man took me there and gave me to Mommy when I was a born."

I'm not sure how to respond. I know he is my brother and he was definitely not born there, but I don't think now would be the best time to bring that up.

"Do you know who your real mommy is?" I decide to ask, wanting to know all he knew.

"Karai is my Mommy," he says, with an angry tone to his voice. His face softens up in seconds. "But I don't know who had me first. The Sharp Man said I was a mistake with some stuff the Smart Man had."

I stop and look at him. I look into his blue eyes until he looks away and back towards the way we came. I open my mouth to say something before an idea comes into my mind. My plan reminded me something Master Splinter would do. I sit Leo down and get down to his level. I gently turn him so we face each other.

"Leo, do you think I am a mistake?"

His eyes widen at my question and shakes his head. "No! Mommy says you help people and are nice; and, you aren't friends with the Bad Men."

"Okay. How are you and me different?"

He looks me over a bit, thinking. "You're taller."

I laugh lightly at his answer. "Okay, besides the fact that I'm older than you."

He opens his mouth to answer again but I interrupt him.

"And that I have a purple bandanna, or you have a blue band on your wrist, or I have gear on and you don't."

He chuckles at that and the smile on my face grows. I realize I'm starting to warm up to this new form of my brother.

"We aren't different. And if I'm not a mistake, then you are not a mistake either," I say, lightly poking him in the chest.

He thinks about this for a few minutes before smiling at me and gives me a nod. "Okay."

"Come on," I say, picking him back up again. "We need to get you to the Lair."

He puts his head on my shoulder and looks over my shoulder. He isn't as tense as he was earlier and I couldn't help but smile at how he has become more comfortable with me.

 **Again, sorry it is short. I will try to put up Chapter 5 up soon. It's in Mikey's P.O.V and I'm not very good at doing him or fight scenes (hint hint) but I will do my best for you guys ;) If you have any questions or anything, let me know and please review.**


	5. Chapter 5

Life Just Got Weirder

Chapter 5

 **Hey guys! I'm done with school finally! Yay! Now I get to do summer pe...less yay… Anyway, to celebrate I'm giving you this chapter. I'm still working on Chapter 10 and Part 2 of First Kill so more chapters should come fairly soon...ish. Thank you all for favoriting, following, and reviewing! Love hearing from you guys!**

 **Review Replies for Chapter 4:**

 **Insanity21:** **HAHAHA! Your review made my day! I was sitting on my bed on my computer with sunburn that's driving me crazy, I check to see if I got any reviews, I read yours, and I start laughing! *sigh* you are awesome. And yes, Donnie loves little Leo ;) and yes, an explanation will come...just not in this chapter. WHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *cough, cough* I'm good now.**

 **Sairey13:** ***stares at screen* you. are. a. GENIUS! I have never thought of that before! Do you mind if I use that reason as my go to answer now (the one with the turtles being related to Splinter through the mutagen)? Also, to be honest, I haven't thought much about malnourishment and stuff. I did at one point but my brain sometimes gets ahead of itself. I might try putting in some stuff about that in later chapters though, but probably not too much. As for scarring, he IS afraid of heights, and you will see why hopefully later ]:). Thanks for the info/ideas! :)**

 **DP fanboy:** **It's coming up soon ;) not sure how good it will be but it's coming up soon ;)**

 **tmntlover2013:** **thank you and you're welcome ;)**

 **Disclaimer: Nope, but I'm currently drinking a root beer and eating some chips...yummmmm.**

Michelangelo's P.O.V

"Booyakasha!" I yell as I jump on a nearby Footbot.

"Have you ever learned what that means?" I hear Karai ask Raph somewhere else in the fight,

"Not at all," I hear Raph say and my smile grows.

I enjoy being the random ninja in our family even after all of these years. Everyone is always so stressed about everything they need someone to lift them up. Of course, I get stressed out, and sad, and right now I'm super confused about the Little Leo and Karai appearing out of nowhere, but being all happy is much more fun.

I send my nunchuck to another robot's head but he catches with his left hand, his eyes glowing red.

"Umm, Raphie! I think the Foot got a few upgrades!" I call to my brother.

As soon as the words leave my mouth, a saw appears out of the Footbot's right hand and comes toward my face. I let out a loud yell before turning and moving behind the Foot soldier. I kick him in the back and he lands on his saw, bits of robot flying everywhere. Yanking my beautiful baby out of his hand, I run back to Raph and Karai.

"Stockman has been kept busy upgrading them. I have actually seen a few speak," Karai says as she attacks a nearby enemy with her tail.

"That weirdo's still around?" Raph asks, landing a kick to a bot's chest. "He's worse than Mikey."

"Hey!" I yell, moving closer to Raph and putting on a serious face. "Nobody, and I mean nobody, is weirder than me!"

"For once, I agree with you," he says back, sending his Sai towards my face.

Out of pure instinct, I duck. Hearing mechanical noises, beeping, and seeing a couple sparks, I turn to see a Footbot without a head.

I send Raph a thumbs up. "Thanks, Bro."

"I see these past years made you no more mature," Karai says quietly with a joking hint in her voice.

"I can be mature," I argue, "I just choose not to be."

With my super, sonic ninja hearing, I hear Raph grunt before a Footbot falls to the ground. I turn and start to panic, slightly. He's gripping his upper arm but I can still see blood dripping from his cut. It went from his shoulder to just above his elbow. I get closer to Raph so I can help him fight off the Foot and I see him glare at me from the corner of my eye. I don't care.

"As much as I miss fighting the Foot," I say over my shoulder, "I really think we should start wrapping this up. I am I right?"

Karai turns around and it's then that I realize how deeply she's breathing and how exhausted she really looks. My brain clicks and I realize she has been fighting before we found her here. Her eyes meet mine and she looks at Raph. After realizing what I was getting at, she looks back me and gives me a nod.

"Here's the plan," I tell them, "I'm going to lead them away from you guys. You two will head to the Lair and I'll call you on my phone. We will either meet up at the Lair or on the way there."

"There is no way we are splitting up," Raph says in his "big brother" tone.

I glare at him with an "I'm an adult now" and "You are injured and will listen to me" with a hint of "I'm your little brother and I don't have to listen to you" look.

"How are you so sure they will follow you?" Karai asks, going with my plan.

I can't stop the smile from crossing my face. "If there is something I've learned from being a ninja and going on patrol with my bros, it's the Mikester is the best bait ever."

I take off running and fight off some Footbots in the process. After catching the attention of a few crazy robot ninjas, I bang my nunchucks together to get the others' attention.

"Hey! Foot chumps!" Most turn towards me. "Think you're pretty tough? Come and find out!" I ran down the street, smiling when the familiar beeping reaches my ears. My plan worked!

I start running down street, darting through allies, and jumping on rooftops. I was doing everything to lose track of them and go to the sewers. I jump up a fire escape and run along the building. I slow down and listen carefully. I don't hear any beeping. This is weird. I don't stop running and I'm kind of afraid they went back to Raph and Karai, but they were pretty far away.

Getting closer to the edge of the roof, I felt my ninja senses go crazy. I didn't have time to react and felt a sharp pain in the back of my head. I feel a big rush of wind before it all goes dark.

I open my eyes to the sound of robotic beeping and movement. My body feels sore and stiff and I want to go back to sleep. A loud beep feels my ears and I try to reach over to turn off my alarm when I realize I can't move. My eyes widen as I realize what the beeping actually is. I do my best to not move, even though my arm is hurting and itching something awful. The beeping and noises in the alley quieten and I let out a sigh of relief.

I look around. I guess I must have fallen off a building (probably pushed off by a flying Foot ninja) and must have somehow fell between a dumpster and a wall. Using all my strength, I push the dumpster away enough for me to squirm out. I hope to never, ever be in that position again. It was very uncomfortable and has the worse smell you can possibly imagine.

I slowly and carefully stretch my limbs, seeing how hurt I am. I ache all over, mostly on my left arm. I look up to see a dented fire escape and I think that may be how I didn't break anything. I may have also landed on my shell because it hurts like it's on fire! After feeling a sharp pain in my right leg, I look down to see a long, deep cut, dripping blood.

I take in a deep breath, before trying to walk down towards the street. My world tips like a carnival ride and I stop before I throw up and put my hands on my head. My hands meet a gooey substance and I look down at it. Even though it was dark, I could see the red liquid on my hands and I automatically realize I'm in trouble. This will definitely slow down my plan on getting a date Friday night.

I walk over towards the sewers when I feel a burning sensation in my throat and my stomach starts to ache. I fall to my knees (not very gracefully I might add) and throw up whatever leftover pizza was in my stomach. I sit on the ground for a few minutes and watch my world slowly go back straight. My head was pounding and I wish some strange hobo would come give me a glass of water. I guess that only works in the movies, though.

It isn't until I get down to the sewers before I finally take out my phone. I grimace when I see five text messages and three calls from the same number: Raphael.

I speed dial his number and listen to it ring, bracing myself for some older brother yelling. I don't usually have to wait very long, and this was one of those times.

"Where are you?" Raph answers in a very angry voice.

"Well, hello to you, too, Raphie," I say in an innocent voice, even though I feel like a train is hitting my body over and over again.

"Where are you?" he repeats, clearly frustrated.

"Got caught up with the Foot," I say tiredly. "I'll just meet you at the Lair, okay?"

"Mikey, are you alright?" he says, sounding concerned.

"Well, I still got a head, a shell, two arms, and two legs. I say I'm doing okay."

"Are you hurt?"

I hesitate and try to think of an answer that doesn't send Raph over the edge. I hate lying to my brothers (unless it's for an awesome prank, of course) but I know how fast Raph can find me if I tell him I hurt like crazy.

"Just meet me at the Lair," I say, trying to sound stern and determined. "I'm almost there and it'll take, like, way longer if we have to wait for each other."

For a minute he doesn't answer. I'm worried he'll come looking for me, and we don't have time for that. Donnie needs to help Raph and Karai and we are all dying to know how our oldest brother became a six-year-old. I also want some protection when he sees I didn't tell him how bad I am or that I can barely walk straight.

"Fine," he finally said, "but you better be okay."

Yeah, I'm going to need some protection. "See ya in a bit, bro."

I let out a small sigh as soon as I hang up. Raph is totally going to freak. The only problem is my head is still hurting and there is a low ringing. I don't realize I'm so close to the Lair until a see a light and realize it's coming from my home.

I allow an exhausted smile to cross my face as I start to slowly go up the stairs. Right now, more than anything did I want to just take a nap in a warm comfy bed and sleep in until noon, if not later.

I hear voices coming from the Lair and I recall images of my family sitting in front of the TV, eating pizza, and talking. The best days of being a teenage mutant ninja turtle, chilling with family. I don't think anything will be like it was back then, though. It is still fun to look back on those memories and remember life doesn't totally suck.

My mind goes back to Leo and it is then I realize how much I wanted to know what happened. I guess I was too focused on making it to the Lair and not getting caught by the Foot. My vision darkens and I don't want to pass out. I want to hear what happened in a warm comfy bed and be perfectly fine. Although, we all know "perfectly fine" doesn't work with a ninja turtle. Oh well, sacrifices must be made to be awesome.

I walk up the stairs and hear Raph yell my name. Even though my eyes are dropping, I was shocked by how Raph said my name. If I didn't know any better, he sounded a lot like how Leo used to sound.

Dude, life just got weird.

 ***Gasp!* I just hurt Mikey! }:) Tell me how I did with Mikey, he's kind of hard for me...Thanks again guys :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This is it guys, the moment some of you have been waiting for (no not the moment when Karai/Miwa explains what happened…). Master Splinter finally meets little Leo face to face! How will he react? Read to find out ;) Also, for those reading First Kill, I'm almost in the middle of Chapter 2 so it's coming. Also, my mom helped a bit because this is her chapter because she is a "Donatello fan girl." ;)**

 **Review replies from Chapter 5:**

 **Insanity21:** **...I'm officially afraid of you. Deeply, deeply afraid. Mikey falls off a building and you yell him and you are desperate for little Leo and demanding a ninja master (Master Splinter) to hug little Leo...I'm slightly scared of you at the moment… Also (Doctor Who reference) Don't go all River Song on me ;). You see, I knew you put tiny microbots into my virtual glass of water and I have had agents hack into your system and deactivate the microbots. So, as much as you scare me, *puts on cool striped glow in the dark glasses* I shall reveal no spoilers. It is coming up though. You have to read and find out if it's in this chapter though because I'm not telling you }:). (P.S. It's cool you also agree with Sairey13.) (P.S.S. Your reviews always bring a smile to my face. I hope you don't stop :) :).)**

 **Sairey13:** **Hmmmm... I like that idea. The only thing is, I pictured him not being totally afraid of the turtles and Splinter because they are mutants and like him/look different. However, your idea did give me an idea for the future… }:). Thanks for telling me your ideas, I love hearing other people's ideas and thoughts on my stories. If you have any more suggestions, feel free to let me know in a review or PM me. :) As for Mikey, you have to wait and see }:). I reveal no spoilers.**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Thank you! Like I've said, I have a hard time with him for some reason (even though I often act just as crazy as he does lol) and here is your chapter ;)**

 **pollielobster:** **Welcome, we have been expecting you }:). Yay! You love the story! And here is your update. I'm trying to get the chapters to be longer, but I didn't realize how hard it can be until I tried, especially when there is just a ton of dialogue. I try to update on Sundays, but sometimes I update earlier or later. I don't really have an exact date...but, enjoy the chapter! :)**

Donatello's P.O.V

(Before Mikey comes home)

I realize how much my arms ache when I sit Leo down by the steps at the entrance of the Lair. He stays close to me though, practically hugging my leg. The sewers seem to be quiet and I look around to find everything in check. All the times hanging out as a family after a mission. All the times crying and mourning the death of our eldest brother. So many memories are held here in our home; but, none of them are close to this.

"We're here, Master Splinter!" I call throughout the Lair, leading Leo further inside.

He moves a little closer to me but I can tell he is curious. He keeps looking around the Lair, every now and then fixing his gaze on an object. A part of me hopes he will remember something from our past. Even if he did, though, things would probably still be awkward.

Before I can decide where to take Leo, I hear footsteps quickly coming towards us. Leo hears it too and immediately turns toward them. I put a hand on his shoulder and send him a reassuring smile. Sure enough, Sensei appears through the Dojo doors with his ears perked up and his eyes filled with bright energy. I can hear Sensei inhale sharply and see his eyes widen at the sight of Leo.

"Leonardo?"

Leo startles at the mention of his name by this unfamiliar figure and looks up at me in confusion and fear. I let my smile grow a little and gently nudge him towards the couch. Probably best if I check up on him there. For one, there is a comfortable couch and he will probably get used to Sensei better in a more relaxed environment. I'm also not sure if he had any bad experiences with labs like mine before. The last thing I need is to break Leo's trust after just gaining it.

Sensei comes towards us and looks Leo over in veiled shock. I decide to stay close to Leo but give Sensei enough space to observe him. He kneels in front of Leo. Leo scoots farther into the couch, not sure who the mutant rat is in front of him and if he should trust him. I caught the flash of hurt in my father's eyes before it disappears. I placed my hand on Leo's back, letting him know I am right there with him.

"Leo, this is Master Splinter," I say to him. "He is my father."

He lifts his face towards me with wide eyes before looking back at Master Splinter. He doesn't react after that. They continue to look each other over and I'm starting to wonder if I should say something.

Master Splinter looks at me with sad yet hopeful eyes. "He does not remember?" he asks, appearing to decide to end the sentence there, but I knew what he was meaning.

"No, he doesn't," I answer sadly.

The look in Leo's eyes was questioning and slightly aggravated. I mentally laughed at his frustration. He was obviously confused and doesn't appreciate being talked about as if he isn't here. I'm guessing Master Splinter realizes his feeling over the subject as well because he slowly stands up, not wanting to scare the little turtle any more.

"May I speak with you in private a moment, Donatello?" He made it sound more like a command instead of an actual question.

I look down at Leo, giving him a reassuring smile and pat on the shoulder. He opens his mouth but closes it, as if wanting to say something but then deciding against it. He probably feels uncomfortable being alone in a place he doesn't know.

We only move as far as one of the corners in the room so we can still keep an eye on him but be out of earshot.

"Does he remember?" Sensei repeats quietly.

I shake my head. "No. After I was done talking to you on the phone, he told me he never had life before Shredder's Lair and was born there and was a mistake. Karai said she was going to explain once she got back. I don't know anything else except she told him stories about us and he still goes by Leo. Karai has also became his mother but he knows he was adopted. I believe that is it so far."

He nods, processing the little facts we have. "Do you have any guesses on how this has happened?"

I think for a minute. "I think it will be better to wait for the answer. She should be back soon anyway."

He nods again and looks back at Leo, who is sitting cross-legged and playing with a stray sting from a nearby pillow. Master Splinter sighs almost inaudibly before walking over and kneeling down to be eye level with him. I walk close behind him but decide not to go too close. I want Leo to get comfortable being with Splinter, and I know I can't always hold his hand around the Lair when Karai is gone.

Leo watches Sensei carefully. He glances up at me before looking back at Splinter, leaning back slightly.

"We have not officially introduced ourselves," he starts out. "You may call me Splinter. I am the father of Donatello and his brothers and also," he pauses, "have a deep connection with your mother." He stretches his arm out, positioning it for a handshake. He does it slowly but Leo still leans back, pressing himself into the couch.

I realize why he doesn't tell Leo to call him "Master Splinter" or "Sensei." Since he never taught this Leonardo ninjutsu or anything similar, he cannot be labeled his teacher, master, sensei, or any other word you would wish to describe him. Technically, he was also his mother's father. Would he start calling Sensei "Grandfather" now? Does that make me and my brothers his "uncles"? Do we even decide what he should call us or will we simply wait for him to turn normal? Is it possible for him to turn back into his old self?

Leo looks at Sensei's hand, at Sensei, then at up at me. I see fear and nervousness in his big eyes. He shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders in an "I don't know" gesture ever so slightly. It's then I realize he must have never given anyone a handshake before. Though, I guess it's awkward when your mother has little snake heads for hands and you are in an enemy base for all your short life.

After a few awkward moments, I about go to Leo and show him how when he very slowly and cautiously reaches out his hand. A few times he momentarily hesitates before stretching his hand out more, glancing between Splinter and their hands that are getting closer to each other. I was so focused on his progress, I didn't realize he raised the wrong hand until their finger tips are almost touching.

I could see Master Splinter smile warmly from the side of his face. In a fluid motion, he slowly switches hands and softly grasps Leo's small hand. After shaking it slowly, Leo's gaze moves from their hands to Splinter's face and then to mine. A proud, happy grin only a child can pull off appears on his face. He looks down and I can see the smile grow and a red color appear on his cheeks. Once Master Splinter releases Leo's hand, Leo pulls his hand back and puts it in his lap.

He doesn't look up at us, but I can tell he is happy. Amazing how one simple handshake can totally change his mood. I walk over and kneel by Sensei.

"We should probably give you a check-up now, huh?" I ask him.

He looks up at me and gives a nod, the smile never leaving his face. A smile ends up crossing my face and I stand up. Master Splinter stands up, appearing pleased as well.

I look towards my lab. Knowing Shredder and Badtor Strawman, Leo has probably been in some sort of lab and may not have good memories about it. It didn't take me long to decide to show him my lab after he has been here for a while.

"Do you mind keeping an eye on him while I go get some equipment from my lab?"

Splinter gives me a nod and puts both of his hands on top of his green cane. I start creating a checklist in my head of materials and equipment I'll need and where they are. April once told me she and her father used to do that when they would go to the grocery store, and I catch myself doing it every now and then.

However, I never make it to my lab.

"Miwa."

I look over at Sensei after he whispered his daughter's name. Following his gaze, I turn to see both Karai and Raph, leaning on each other, at the entrance of the Lair. My eyes widen as I notice Raph's left upper arm bleeding quite profusely and Karai sweating and breathing deeply.

"Raph!" I call out, the same time "Mommy!" comes out of Leo's mouth.

We all run towards them. Karai carefully hands me Raph so she can hug a small Leo that practically jumps into her arms. I allow Raph to lean against me, probably dizzy from blood loss.

"Mikey's still out there. Lead the Foot away," he slurs with his eyes closed.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine. Let's get you stitched up, okay?" I ask quietly.

He nods and I can tell he tries to help me lift him up. I put his right arm over my shoulder and start guiding him toward the kitchen table.

I glance over at Sensei and the others. "Sensei, can you get Karai on the couch and make her comfortable?"

Master Splinter replies with a nod and carefully helps Karai to the couch with Leo trailing close by. I situate Raph in a chair by the table and run off to get the supplies I need to stitch him up.

"I don't think you lost enough blood for me to give you a blood transfusion; however, you are going to have to be gentle with the stitches, especially during training."

"Yes, Mom," Raph replies under his breath.

After I stitch my hot headed brother up, I help him sit down in the living room with everyone else. Leo watches Raph warily before turning his curious gaze towards me, watching me carefully as I check on Karai. After a few minutes, I stand back up.

"She'll be okay," I say to them. "She's just been through a lot and lack of sleep is catching up with her. I'll get her some water, though, so she can stay hydrated."

"Thank you, my son," Master Splinter says.

When I come back with a glass of ice water, Karai is sitting up with Leo at her side. She has an arm over his shoulder and watching Master Splinter and Raphael carefully. I walk up to her (careful not to startle her) and hand her the glass. She gives a nod of gratitude before sipping half of the glass of water.

"Mikey should have been back by now," Raph says breaking the silence.

"Did you guys get separated?" I ask.

"Your brother led the Foot away so Raphael and I could come here. We would not have lasted much longer if we would have stayed. Michelangelo did say he would come here as soon as he could, though," Karai explained.

"I'll call him just in case," I reply.

Just as I pull out my T-phone, Raph's starts to play the best tune ever, telling us Mikey is calling him.

"Where are you?" Raph asks, not even bothering to say any sort of greeting.

I can hear Mikey's voice and I see Master Splinter's ear twitch out of the corner of my eye. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he hears my brother's response through the phone. Being a ninja master and a mutant rat can have its privileges.

"Where are you?" Raph repeats, his tone sounding more frustrated.

When Mikey gives an answer, I see Raph's face soften slightly.

"Mikey, are you alright?" he asks, concerned. A few minutes later, he asks, "Are you hurt?"

He let's out a frustrated sigh before saying "Fine, but you better be okay," and hangs up.

"If that idiot comes back and he's bleeding to death, I will kill him."

I can't help but smile at Raph's comment. Maybe because of how normal it sounds. How even in this bizarre and stressful situation, he can still make empty threats to his brothers.

I turn my attention to Karai. "You should probably get some rest."

She shakes her head. "I would rather wait to see how Michelangelo is." She lets out a sigh. "Besides, I believe I need to do a lot of explaining."

Master Splinter sits close to Karai, but I can tell he's not sure what to do. His little girl, who for half his life he thought was dead, is all grown up and is even taking care of a child. I also think none of us are sure if we really trust each other. We want to, but can we really after our past and not seeing each other for years?

"So now what?" Raph asks, breaking the silence.

No one replies. It's one of those awkward moments, I guess. And I'm not surprised.

"What do you have there, Leonardo?" Master Splinter asks, trying to make conversation.

I have almost forgotten about Leo's toy elephant until Sensei asks about it. Leo looks down at it, up at Karai, then back at Splinter. Karai gives him a small nudge and a smile, silently telling him to answer his question.

"Mommy gave it to me," he says quietly. "She said it use to be hers."

"When we broke free, we visited my old room to grab a few supplies," Karai explains, showing a bag she had over her shoulder I didn't see before. Very observant Donatello. And you are supposed to be the smart one.

I snap out of my internal self-lecturing as Karai continues talking.

"He never really had anything and didn't have time to be a child. I thought giving him something like this would help."

"Lies."

We all turn towards Raph. He whispered that word right after Karai finished talking, almost interrupting her.

He stands up and glares at Karai.

"He had a childhood. He had toys. He had a room and brothers."

"Raphael!" Splinter warns.

"He had a life before that. Sixteen years of life that was taking away from him. You don't have the right to change him! He's not some homeless child with a mother who never got to be a child! He's a mutant turtle that was a ninja! He was my brother!"

"Raphael!" Master Splinter yells, standing up from his spot.

"But Master Splinter-"

"Enough! This is a hard time for all of us. If Miwa did not take care of Leonardo, he would either be dead or still in the hands of the Shredder."

I see Leo shiver out of the corner of my eye and I realize he must have scooted closer to Karai for comfort.

I could tell Master Splinter had more to say, but he didn't get the chance. I see Karai turn her head towards the door and I turn my head to see what she was looking at. I gasp as I see Mikey standing at the entrance of the Lair. Actually, "swaying at the entrance" would probably be more accurate.

"My son," Sensei whispers.

"Mikey!" Raph yells.

If this was a better time, I would have laughed. Raph would always make fun of how freaked out and protective Leo would be, but right now, he sounds just like Leo used to. The worry and brother protectiveness in his voice was nearly identical.

Man, life just got weird.

 **(Yes, I had Donnie say it again, but that should be it for him...I think anyway lol. And yes, Mikey is still hurt and Raph is still becoming the protective eldest brother Leo once was. So, will Mikey be okay? Will this cause Miwa/Karai's explanation to be pushed back a couple chapters? *sigh* I love torturing you guys with secrets...Tell me what you guys think! Love hearing from all of you :) .)**


	7. Chapter 7

Life Just Got Weird

Chapter 7

 **A/N: *crawls to computer and pulls self in chair* Summer PE is killing me…but I'm still writing!-ish… Here's a chapter. Have fun *collapses on bed***

 **Also, if you find the name "Akio" in here, please let me know. I needed a Japanese name (you will see why later) and I chose that one. However, when reading another Fan Fiction story, I saw they had someone named Akio or close to Akio, too. I didn't want it to look like I took that name from their story so I chose the name "Kino" instead. Thanks guys!**

 **Review Replies from Chapter 6:**

 **Sairey13:** **Miwa was mostly talking about how Leo was raised in the Shredder's Lair and didn't really get a childhood but it works that way too. Very observant! Maybe before taken by the Shredder, he got to talk to Miwa/Karai more about his life, you know, why they weren't trying to kill each other ;P. And yes, I plan there to be more hugging moments...it just may be a while, for I have plans }:) Whahahahahahah!**

 **Insanity21:** **Is that why my workers have been on break for a loooong time? And Raph is going through some issues and is having a hard time getting used to/loving the little Leo :(. Master Splinter is loving Leo and Donnie is loving Leo so that's all good...for now...hehehe. Also, I LOVE hearing suggestions! Yes, Leo is very confused, but he is also still a bit nervous/scared around them. I do like the idea of having Leo go try to get some answers out of Raph and I may do that in a bit (*cough,cough* Chapter 10) I guess I'm so use to confusing the small turtle I didn't even think about him questioning it lol! And I don't want to clean up the mess! Cleaning is no fun! And how did you get poison into my bloodstream? Are you a spy? A stalker? I'm watching you closely Insanity21...but, don't worry, cause you have probably given the poison to my clones! Booyakasha! And here is a chapter to go with your cool costume.**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Thanks! I'm glad you like it :). And here is a chapter!**

 **DP fanboy:** **Haha! yes, there will be some cute father and daughter conversations between Master Splinter and Miwa :)**

 **Disclaimer: I forgot to do this last chapter! But I'm pretty sure none of you thought I stole the turtles or force people to give them to me...that's not a bad idea… }:) ANYWAY, still don't own turtles or any other TMNT characters and all that.**

Master Splinter's P.O.V

(Few minutes later)

After checking on my sons in Donatello's Lab, I decide to return to my daughter and Leonardo in the main room. It seems like forever since I have seen them both and I can't help but feel they will disappear from the world if I leave them for a second. When I enter the room, I can't stop the smile that crosses my face when I see Leonardo talking to Miwa and playing with the toy elephant he carries around. The memories of my four sons being small children fill my mind against my will and my smile grows. I lower it a bit as I make my way to them. I sometimes feel uncomfortable showing a lot of emotions for others to observe, but sometimes I allow exceptions.

"Michelangelo will be fine," I explain. "Donatello believes he sprained his arm, received a bad cut on his leg, and has a bad concussion. His shell took most of the damage, and Michelangelo will be fine in time. By then, we will hopefully get some light on the dark questions we have been asking lately."

Miwa lets out a sigh of relief. "That's good. I was going to feel awful if Michelangelo was seriously injured. And he will be fine in a couple hours?"

I nod. "Yes. Michelangelo is known to have a thick skull. Of course, Donatello suggested he has his arm in a sling for a while and his cut will need stitches, but he will tell us what happened soon enough."

She nods. "Good. Then, I shall explain all I know that has happened for the past couple of years."

I sit beside her. "Thank you, my daughter."

She smiles at me and I feel my heart warm up. "It is my pleasure."

"Can I ask a question?" Leonardo asks quietly.

I smile down at him warmly, happy I am slowly gaining his trust. "Oh course."

"Why do they call you 'Master Splinter'?"

I can't stop the chuckle at his question. "I teach my sons Ninjutsu, a style of fighting that I have learned in my homeland. I also have been called 'Splinter' since I came here. Does that make sense, Leonardo?"

"Hai, Sensei," Leonardo replies casually before going back to playing with his toy elephant.

My eyes widen at Leonardo's response. I look up at Miwa, silently asking her if she has taught Leonardo any of it. She slowly shakes her head before looking back down at the small turtle. He didn't appear to sense our confusion and continued playing with his toy and every now and then raising his head to look around the Lair.

"Leonardo?" my daughter asks softly. Leonardo looks up at her. "What did you say?"

He gives her a confused look. "I said…," he trails off. His confusion grows and I watch as the small gears in his head turn, trying to remember what he said moments ago.

My heart slowly fills with a little bit of hope. Could this lead to Leonardo returning to normal? Will my son remember everything that we have been through? Some many questions fill my head, but the hope remains in my chest. Just hearing those familiar words from him lightens this old soul.

"I think I said 'Hey Splinter'? I don't remember. Is that bad?" he asks, sounding slightly nervous.

"It is alright, Leonardo," she reassures. "We just thought you said something else."

His eyes travel between us for a few minutes before deciding to let it pass and continue doing what he was previously doing. Miwa looked over in my direction and together we shared a smile. There was still hope for Leonardo.

"Easy there, Mikey. Getting another concussion will not help," I hear Donatello say.

We look up to find him and Raphael helping Michelangelo towards the couch by us. My normally energetic son looked dizzy and ill, and I was not sure it was wise to bring him out here; but, I knew Donatello wouldn't bring him out here if something bad were to happen. Michelangelo also had stitches that closed the wound on his leg along with his arm in a sling. He gives a small smile but doesn't say anything to us.

"If I would have known this would have kept him quiet, I would have hit him harder on the head a long time ago," Raphael says with a smirk as they sit their brother down.

"Is he okay?" Leonardo asks, his voice sounding small.

"He'll be ok," Donatello answers with a smile. "He'll have a hard time talking for a while and may seem dizzy or sick, but he will be fine. It just takes some time and patience."

Raphael lets out a small disbelieving huff with a smile. "Mikey? Patience? I don't see that happening anytime soon."

Michelangelo answers him with a glare before blinking and looking around the room. I am unsure whether my son is simply dizzy and has a headache, or if he is already bored sitting there, unable to speak. I would not be surprised if it were both.

We sit in silence, unsure what to say. Even Leonardo starts to look between each of us, aware of the awkward silence that fell over us.

"Why don't I get us a bit of food?" Donatello asks, breaking the silence.

My injured son in orange groans at the mention of food and I could have sworn his shade of green has changed. Raphael laughs at his brother's discomfort while Michelangelo gives me a pitiful look. I decide to let my sons work this out and pretend not to have noticed.

"I believe that is a good idea, my son," I answer. "I recommend something small."

Donatello nods before giving a thoughtful look. "Raph, Karai, do you guys mind if I talk to you two in the kitchen?"

They reply with a nod before my daughter looks down at Leonardo. "Do you mind staying with Master Splinter?"

Leonardo looks at me, as if considering whether he trusted me. It did not take five seconds for a small smile to cross his face and he gave Miwa a smile and a nod. She smiles back at him before giving a kiss to his head and leaving.

Michelangelo decides to scoot down besides us to get a closer look at his now younger brother. Leonardo watches him carefully out of the corner of his eye but doesn't say anything. However, I notice how his eyes keep traveling to my son's Nunchaku in his belt.

"Leonardo?" I ask him with a small smile.

He looks at me with a tiny smile and his cheeks give a hint of red. "Um, what are those?"

"They are weapons," I try to explain. "Each one of my sons practices fighting with a weapon. Michelangelo's choice was the Nunchaku, or the Nunchucks."

His smile grows. "Cool! Can I see?"

Michelangelo smirks and reaches for his weapons before I stop him with my hand. "Maybe when Michelangelo is in the right mind."

He pouts in response. "S-S-Sensei," he groans, slightly stuttering at first.

"It appears you are getting better already."

His eyes seem to go distant for a minute before giving a happy nod.

Leonardo chuckles before looking around the Lair then towards the kitchen. I could tell the young one was bored and unsure of what to do. I began to look for and think of some things to keep him occupied when I was interrupted.

"Sensei," I hear Michelangelo say as he nudges my elbow. I turn to see him show me a message on his phone.

Donatello:

Karai says she will explain everything after Leo goes to sleep.

Also, I told her that they can sleep in the living room tonight.

I nod to my son, letting him know I understood.

Michelangelo types something back to his brother before looking back at Leonardo, who was looking down at his toy elephant.

"D-Does he have a...um...name?" Michelangelo asks Leonardo.

Leonardo looks up at him, then down at his elephant. "I don't know."

"Lucky for you, I'm pretty good at...at naming stuff."

"Why not Kino?" I ask. I remember my mother telling me a story about a small elephant named Kino when I was a young boy. I don't remember what the story was about, but I remember sitting outside with her under the bright stars, listening to her tale.

"Come on, Sensei," Michelangelo groans. "I'm suppose to name things."

"I like that name," Leonardo says quietly, not looking at us.

I smile at my son before hearing my three other children enter the room. They hold a small bowl of soup, two platefuls of pizza, a few glasses of water, and a cheese-sicle and tea for me. I smile at realizing carrying quite a bit of food with the use of balance is a great way of using Ninjutsu training.

We start to eat our food in silence, enjoying our own meal. Michelangelo even steals a few pieces of pizza from his brothers' plates while Karai shares a bowl of soup with Leonardo. During the middle of the silence, Michelangelo's face lights up. He rips off a piece of pizza from Donatello's plate and quickly moved to sit by the smallest turtle. Leonardo looks up quickly at the sound of my son's movements, but softens and shows curiosity and confusion. Michelangelo hands him the piece of pizza.

"Try it," he says encouragingly with a smile.

Leonardo looks up at Karai for approval. She chuckles and nods. After taking the piece and eating a small bite, Leonardo leans backs and moans in pleasure. My sons and daughter burst into laughter while I let a smile cross my face. I start to wonder if that is how my sons reacted when they first tried pizza on the surface.

After we finish our food, Donatello stands up.

"Master Splinter, care to help me put these plates away?"

I could tell my son wanted to talk in private so I pick up Miwa's and Leonardo's plates before following my son to the kitchen. He sits the dishes in the sink and starts to clean them before handing them to me to dry.

"I talked to Karai more after I sent Mikey the message," he starts.

I make a small "mm-hm" noise, telling him to continue.

"She decided to let him think she is his mother," he turns to look at me. "She wanted to know if you were okay with him calling you his grandfather."

I froze after his statement. I admit, I'm not sure what to think of this. After being mutated and raising four mutant turtles, I never thought I would be called "Grandfather" before. I also found it strange that my son would be calling me his grandfather until we discover a way to change him back. This feels like a bigger decision than it probably is, but if I allow Leonardo to call me that, it's almost as if I have accepted him to remain this way. Although, I should be aware that is a possibility I may have to face.

I turn to my son and see he is looking at me, his face full of understanding.

"I need to get something from my room," I say, deciding I need to think about this more. This seemed to be happening so fast. Yet, as a ninja, I should be prepared for this. As a father, though, I don't believe anything could have prepared me for this.

Donatello nods. "Alright. I'll clean up and check on Mikey. I think I'll also go get some blankets and stuff to make Karai and Leo more comfortable."

I nod before making my way to my Dojo. I walk up to the small stand that held pictures and items from the past. I pick up and hold the picture of my four sons. It was years ago, maybe a year or a couple months before they went to the surface for the first time. Donatello stood on the far right, holding his Bo staff. His smile is open and you can slightly see the gap between his teeth. Raphael is in the far back in the middle of the picture. He holds up one of his Sais in his hand, having a slightly evil smile. Michelangelo is up front in the left corner. His arm is raised in a wave position with his mouth open, almost as if he is in the middle of saying "Hey!" in greeting. Leonardo is behind him, having a simple smile and his arms crossed.

I then realize that I may have lost my son, _that_ Leonardo, forever. I feel a tear drip down my fur. I know I should be thankful he did not die to the hands of the Shredder, but I could have lost a child. I let out a small sigh. Even though I should be prepared for never seeing my son again, I should also have hope that my son can be returned to normal.

I wipe away the tear. This is not the son I have known; however, he is still a child. A child who was born and raised in the hands of the Shredder and may need my help.

I walk back to the living room to find Raphael yelling at Michelangelo for being more hurt than he let on over the phone, but I decide to ignore it for now. (If one of them ends up screaming, then I shall get involved.) Instead, I went to Donatello who was watching his brothers with a smirk. When he saw me walking towards him, his face turned a little more serious. I walk up to him and whisper my answer.

"I will be fine with Leonardo calling me his grandfather until we find a way to return him to his previous form."

He smiles at me and gives an understanding nod. I decide to sit back down by my daughter, whom I now realize is covered in a nest of blankets along with Leonardo. I smile as I watch Leonardo cuddle close to his mother and let out a small yawn. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Donatello send Miwa a small nod and receives her nod in return.

"Leonardo," she says softly, looking down at the small turtle.

He looks up at her, his blue eyes big.

"I will like you to meet your uncles." Her gaze turns to my three sons and Leonardo follows, his face showing shock. "Meet your Uncle Donatello, Uncle Michelangelo, and Uncle Raphael."

"Or," Michelangelo says with a smile, obviously feeling much better, "you can call him Uncle Donnie, Don, or D. You can call me Uncle Mikey, Mike, Mikes, M, M-dog, or even Best Uncle Ever!"

Leonardo chuckles at the last name while Donatello smacks Michelangelo lightly on the head.

"And," my son in orange continues, "you can call this turtle Uncle Raph, or Uncle Raphie, or-"

Michelangelo stops when Raphael sits up and marches to his room. Some of us wince at the noise of his door slamming shut. I knew I had to talk to my son later about this new change, but I think right now may not be the best time.

"Is he mad at me?" Leonardo asks quietly.

"He just...uh...has a hard time meeting new people," Donatello says.

"Yeah, don't worry, little dude. He'll warm up to you soon," Michelangelo says cheerfully.

"Although, we should probably have him here if he wants to know what happens," Miwa explains.

Donatello sighs. "Yeah, you're right. I'll convince him to come back to hear the story. He will probably leave as soon as you're done, though."

As Donatello leaves, I turn to my daughter. "I apologize for my son's behavior. He has no right to act this way, especially after everything you have done and been through."

She shakes her head. "It's understandable. This is a big change for him." Her eyes widen slightly. "Oh! I almost forgot. Leonardo, there is one more person I will like you to meet."

My breath gets caught in my throat slightly, for I knew what she was about to say next. Leonardo looks up at her again, showing her she has his full attention.

"This," she starts, directing to me, "is my father. Which makes him your grandfather."

His eyes widen as he looks at me. It did not take long for him to give me a small smile. I decide to give him a smile in return.

Things would be different around here, whether it will be temporary or

permanent is unknown. I can't help but feel that life has appeared to become

more weird than it has ever been before.

 ***gasp* Master Splinter is letting Leo call him his grandfather! AHHHHH! And, as you can see, Mikey likes little Leo while Raph is having a bit of trouble. Also, my mom got a concussion when she was little so I got a bit of info from her and her mom to help me with Mikey. Sorry it was short but *whispers* guess what guys...IT is coming… If you don't know what IT is...then you just have to wait and find out! Ha! See you guys soon! P.S. Don't forget to check out my other small story: First Kill. Contains brotherly love, intense situations, and other stuff!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Even though this chapter is short, it has IT in it. Hope you like it! There's a big author note at the bottom I would REALLY like you guys to read. Thank you! Also, my mom no longer has time to read my stories/chapters, so if there are any mistakes, I apologize and go ahead and let me know :)**

 **Review Replies from Chapter 7**

 **Insanity21:** **If you keep trying to kill me you are never getting an explanation...but, since I am nice and also a fellow ninja, keep reading and you shall get your explanation. ;) And yes, it is a bit strange having your sibling now calling you uncle/aunt. Yes, Mikey loves the Leo. You can't capture him! He's mine! And you may have your poisons, but I have my EXPLOSIVES! BAM! And even though this is the explanation...just wait till you get to the end }:) Bye! *runs off and hides***

 **Sairey13:** ***smiles* yes, this is it! Yay! Also, yeah, I think Leo would take care of him if the roles were reversed, but I think would have a hard time taking care of Leo and stuff when Leo would do that with him and the others before. As for Leo turning back...that's a secret ;). As for the Miwa snake thing *evil smile* you are one step ahead my friend. I think you have been looking at my evil plan list. That's all I'm willing to say }:).**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Thank you! :) Here's an update!**

 **Disclaimer: Ummmm *searches room* Nope.**

Karai's/Miwa's P.O.V

I look up to see Donatello finally returning with Raphael. Raph still looked pretty angry, but you can tell his brother talked a bit of sense into him. Although, I guess Donnie has had quite a bit of practice over the years without Leo to keep him in line.

"Okay, let's get this over with, shall we?" Raph says, sounding annoyed. He plots down on the couch, the same spot where he sat last time, and looks at me with a hard look.

"Translation, please explain how you got here, Karai," Michelangelo says, pretending to sound smart and sophisticated. He earned a giggle from my son and a smack from Raph.

"Actually, it's Miwa," I say proudly. I feel all eyes turn on me.

Leonardo looks confused. I have told him about me having the other name "Miwa," but I also told him it was a secret. I sent him a look, trying to silently tell him I will explain later. Raph looks at me with the same glare, but he also seemed a bit shocked. Donnie and Mikey look surprise as well, but they have a small smile on their faces.

I turn to see Master Splinter staring at me, proud tears fill his eyes and he quickly wipes them away. Mikey must have noticed the tears because he gives a small "awwwwww" sound.

"Karai was the daughter of the Shredder. Miwa, is the mother of a small mutant turtle and the daughter of Hamato Yoshi, or Master Splinter."

Raph huffs at me saying I have a son, but my father looks proud of my statement. It felt good to be with them again, even in an awkward situation.

"Well, where do I start? So much has happened since the last time I saw you," I say while I start to think. "The last time I saw you was when I told you I had to leave because I was losing it, right?" They nod. "Okay, it wasn't too long after that until Bebop and Rocksteady found me again. I believe they called the Shredder because I was soon surrounded. Everything after that became a black blur. The next thing I remember is waking up in a cell."

"And you had your sanity during that?" Donnie asks.

"Yeah. Apparently Stockman isn't as useless as you would think."

"STOCKMAN! That's his name! Why are we always forgetting that? It's stock, then man," Mikey starts to wonder aloud.

I smile at his statement before noticing Raph's continuing glare. I clear my throat a bit before deciding to continue with another part of the story. Before I start, I glance down at Leo. He's curled up next to me, surrounded by warm blankets. Even though he was still awake, I could tell it wouldn't be too much longer until he would be sound asleep. I'm kind of jealous of him for that. He gets to go to sleep in warm blankets while I have to explain to his (and I guess my new) family. Is this what's like to grow up? I was not expecting this.

I start to explain who we were able to escape the Shredder's clutches, hoping they understood why I was avoiding the topic of Leo's new form. Mikey gives a small cheer when I explained how Leonardo helped me fight off the Foot-bots. I'm also sure I see Raphael giving a small, proud smile. Master Splinter's eyes seem to darken at the mention of the Shredder getting me to stay; however, his expression changes when I tell them how I yelled at the Shredder that I wasn't his daughter and I will get revenge. Donatello gives a sad smile when I mentioned the small gasp on Leo's face when he first saw the night sky.

"Awwwwww! He looks so cute when he's asleep!" Mikey interrupts me in a whisper when I was almost done.

I look down and give a small smile at the sight of my son sleeping next to me, his mouth slightly open. I always cherish these moments, watching him sleep peacefully without a worry or care.

"So, you mind telling us how my brother got to be this way?" Raph says, breaking the peaceful silence.

"Raphael," Master Splinter (my father) harshly whispers.

"No, he is right. You all deserve to know everything I know." I let out a sigh. Might as well get this over with. The sooner I finish, the sooner I get to go to sleep.

"It all started a couple months after I was capture. The Shredder had Baxter Stockman try to put me under some kind of mind control, make me human, almost anything as long as things could go back to normal. I was in Stockman's lab, waiting for him to come back after he left. I was about to die of boredom when I hear his annoying buzzing along with footsteps. Stockman, along with some Foot-bots came into the lab. I could tell he was frantic and maybe nervous.

"He said something about being in trouble and something not going as planned as he looks through notes, papers, chemicals, and everything else on his desk. After a few minutes of searching, he tells the robots to put something on the table nearby. I continued to watch them carefully until my attention was drawn to heavy footsteps coming from the hall. The Shredder came in and he looked mad. He walked right up to Baxter.

"'What is the meaning of this?' he said angrily.

"Stockman replied with 'You told me I could do experiments so you had no need for him! I was testing a chemical and I didn't expect this to be the result!' before flying back a bit, obviously afraid.

"He had a good reason to. The Shredder looked mad for a few minutes before closing his eyes and took a calming breath. 'You will be paid for your actions,' he said. 'I guess I will dispose of Leonardo.'

"I had no idea Leo was there so I was automatically in shock. Then, I saw what the Foot-bots put down as the Shredder picked it up and I heard crying. Sure enough, he had a small mutant turtle held carelessly in his arms. Leo had a large blue bandanna around his neck because it was too big to have on his head. He was squirming and screaming and crying.

"I yelled a loud 'NO!' and the Shredder turned to me. He told me I could care for him in my cell if I would stop struggling and cooperate. It didn't take me too long to nod in response to his deal. The Foot-bots forced me back into the cell and the Shredder practically through Leo in my arms. I later learned that all of Leo's memories of when he was older were gone. Ever since then, I have been caring for him as if he was my own."

"But he's not," Raphael said. "He's our brother!"

I let out a sigh, trying to keep my patience. "Raph, I know you are upset; but I have no idea what Stockman did to Leo or if there is a way to change him back!"

"But Donnie can figure something out. Right, Donnie?" Mikey asks, his voice holding some nervousness.

Donnie looks unsure. "I can try, but we should probably give it some time. I don't want to freak Leo out right after he just figures out this is a safe place to be."

I ignore their conversation. "Would you rather have me left him die? Have the Shredder kill him right then and there?"

He glares at me in response before getting up to head back to his room.

Splinter sighs. "Why don't we go to our beds. It has been a long day for all of us and we need our rest."

We all nod. I'm pretty sure we were all tired from the fight, escape, and dealing with the truth of a small turtle.

"I'll check on you and Leo more in the morning, just to make sure you guys are alright," Donnie says to me, giving me a small, tired smile.

I nod. "Thank you, Donatello. Goodnight."

"Tomorrow, I'm going to show Leo all the good food in the world. Oh! I'll show him Ice Cream Kitty! And chocolate! And all sorts of pizza! And-" Mikey says excitedly.

"Goodnight, Michelangelo," Master Splinter interrupts.

"Goodnight!" he says cheerily before heading for his room.

"I apologize again for my son's behavior," Master Splinter tells me.

"It's alright," I say with a yawn. Man, I was tired. "I kind of allowed my anger to control me, too."

He smiles. "You should get some rest, my daughter. We can talk more in the morning." He gets up and heads back to the Dojo that I guess led to his room.

"Goodnight...Father," I say quietly.

As soon as the Dojo's doors shut, I curl up deeply in the blankets, feeling their warmth. A girl could get use to this. I pull Leo close to me, trying my best not to wake him up. Luckily, he is fast asleep and doesn't seem to be waking up anytime soon. I smile and give him a quick kiss on the forehead.

"Goodnight, my son. I love you," I whisper.

I close my eyes, and fall into a peaceful sleep, not noticing the heat coming from my son's forehead.

 **(Bum Bum Bum Buuuuuuuuummmmmm! Kind of small cliffhanger cause I know we all love them }:) Also, how was the explanation? Easy to follow?**

 **Also, I like to ask for your guys' opinions. I was thinking of doing a side story to this story about what Karai/Miwa and Leo went through. What you think? Good idea? Got ideas for a title or some things they could have been through? I'd love to hear it! Review or PM with your ideas/opinions. I thought about doing a poll thing on my profile but I don't know like anything about it lol! Thank you guys! :) :) :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: First off, a few of you commented on the side story and I will probably do it in the future. When I will is a whole other** **story** **lol. Bad author joke ;P However, I would still like more opinions and title ideas, pretty please! Also, I am about to put up another story soon and it has been drawing my attention to it lately. So, I'm saying this as a warning and a precaution, my updates MAY be a BIT longer in the future...Maybe. If I don't update for like a while, I give you permission to PM me and yell at me. I really don't want to abandon any of my stories. Thanks guys! :) :) :)**

 **(Also, just watched Inside Out. Great movie. Didn't cry! I take movies and books as challenges not to cry ;). Even though my throat got all tight and stuff, I still get a point ;). Missed the TMNT episode though :( hopefully I can watch it on YouTube pretty soon...)**

 **Disclaimer: Nada *sigh***

 **Review Replies for Chapter 8:**

 **Sairey13:** **I totally forgot about Ice Cream Kitty! I definitely have to get them to meet in the chapter I'm working on (Chapter 11). And I think Leo's brothers will kind of do that (use this to return the favor of taking care of them) but probably not fully realize this until they get along better. And those title ideas are definitely some good choices. I have no ideas either so that's why I ask you guys ;) As for Leo's illness, I shall reveal nothing };). Okay, that's a lie, you'll find out info in the chapter ;). I don't think Miwa would fully realize Leo's her kid when she turns into a snake because her mind is kind of out of it. However, a small part of her probably realizes he is and so she won't severely hurt him. But she probably did protect him when they were captured.**

 **Insanity21:** **Lol thank you ssssooooooo much for the compliments ;). They make me feel so happy! Raph will end of loving Leo...maybe }:).**

 **pollielobster:** **( I PM-ed you :) )**

 **DP fanboy:** **It's very sweet :). And read to see what happens...**

 **LilyTheNinjaGirl:** **Glad the explanation was easy to follow :). I try to post a new chapter every Sunday, but I have been getting some requests to go into more depth and make them longer so I'm not sure how long that is going to last sadly. And if I take over the world, together we can put the Turtles through a whole bunch of emotional and heart breaking experiences! Yay! to bad my villain supervisor hasn't given me the go on my plans *grumbles*. Thanks for reviewing and here is the chapter so you don't slowly die ;)**

 **HelloKittyCat928:** **Thank you }:) and thank you :). Those two statements make me happy :)! And actually, you are one step ahead ;). Remember how in the beginning of the story (Chapter 2) Leo said "Mommy, it's one of the turtles from my dream"? }:). Also, YOUR SISTER REALLY DID THAT? To a bunny? She's more evil than me!...challenge accepted…lol! (How did she even do that..? Do I want to know?)**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Lol, yes, I finally gave you your explanation ;). Here is an update because you asked nicely ;P**

Master Splinter's P.O.V (again ;) )

I guess I'm having a difficult time getting rest. Besides being excited over my daughter and new grandson finally being home, I am also trying to decide on how to talk to my son, Raphael. I understand his frustration, but he needs to understand this may be permanent.

I didn't realize my eyes were closed until I was woken by a noise. I try to figure out if I have fallen asleep and if so how long, but I realize I don't recall when I and my family went to bed. I decide to try to get more rest when I hear coughing coming from the living room, followed by a quiet voice. After a few moments of hearing the voices, I finally decide to go investigate. I slowly get up, feeling my body ache with movement. I guess my years are catching up with me.

I grab my cane by my bed and stand up. Allowing the cane to aid me, I walk through the dojo and into the living room. I follow the sound of the coughing and my gaze turns to the pile of blankets. I slowly walk up to it, hoping not to scare the two people in it. I stand for a few minutes, trying to gather as much as I could on the situation. Miwa was talking to Leonardo softly while her son was shivering and hugging her close, releasing coughs. I had an idea what was going on here.

Miwa looks up at me. "He's sick," she says quietly.

I bend down on my knees to get closer to him. His eyes are only partly open and I can tell he is tired. He shivers a bit and scoots closer to Miwa, away from me. I pretend not to notice and I feel his head. Warm. Very warm. It was then I realized that Donatello didn't get the chance to make sure Leonardo was okay. He must have been running a small fever before and we have not noticed.

"Let us take him to Donatello's lab. He will be able to check on Leonardo," I say quietly. I guess I am used to being quiet at night so I do not wake my sons. When they were small, I had to be quiet at night or I would not get any sleep until the next night.

"Don't take me away from Mommy," the feverish Leonardo whispers quietly, still half asleep.

I give my daughter a questioning look but she merely shakes her head. I will have to ask her more on the subject later.

"He's not taking you away," Miwa whispers, reassuringly. "I will be with you all the way."

He nods and allows me to pick him up in my arms, taking a small blanket with me to keep him warm. Miwa slowly sits up, obviously still tired as well, and grabs Leonardo's elephant. He puts his warm head on my shoulder and holds out a hand for her.

"Mom," he moans quietly.

She chuckles lightly. "I am here, my son. You are fine. You are in good hands."

I hear movement behind me but do not dare turn around to see what my daughter's doing. Whatever she did helped comfort Leonardo for some of the tension in his body evaporates and he lets out a small sigh. When we get to Donatello's lab, I hear Miwa's breathing increase. I turn around to see her eyes wide. Our eyes connect and I give her a sympathetic smile.

"It is alright, my daughter. You must have been through a lot. You do not have to be in here."

She shakes her head. "No, I'm okay. I need to stay here with Leonardo."

I give her another smile before returning to the situation at hand. Donatello has convinced me years and years ago on getting small, comfortable beds in his lab to help us if we are injured. Of course, Raphael's constant need for action and Michelangelo's clumsiness worked in his favor. I do not regret my decision on allowing him this privilege. Especially since he is now responsible in cleaning the sheets and blankets.

I lay my...grandson down on the bed and I can't help but stand back and look at him as he falls back to sleep. My once strong, tall, determined son is now lying on the bed as my small, sick grandson. I release a small, shaky breath, hoping Miwa did not hear me.

"Father?"

I turn to look at her, not fully trusting my voice at the moment.

"Should you go get Donnie?"

I nod. "Of course. Please stay here with Leonardo. I will return in a moment."

She responds with a determined nod before looking down at him, stroking his cheek with the back of her snake hand.

I pause, a question coming into my mind. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

She looks back up at me but doesn't remove her hand from her son's face. "No, go ahead."

"My sons told me that you were once able to transform back into a human." She nods. "Are you still able to do that?"

It takes her a few minutes before answering. "I think so. I haven't done it for so long. The only human interaction Leonardo has had was with the Shredder and his minions. I am worried he will not fully trust me if he sees me turn into one"

I nod, thinking about her answer. "You are very wise, Miwa," I say, putting my hand on her metal-like shoulder. She looks up at me with a smile.

I couldn't help but imagine what my life would be like if my wife, Tang Shen, was still alive and if the Shredder never took my daughter away from me. Would we still be in Japan? Would my daughter still experience the same experiences she did with the Shredder? I shake my head slightly. No, now is not the time to think about this. The Shredder took that possible life away from me years ago. There is no way that could turn into a reality.

"I will go retrieve Donatello," I say, before making my way to my genius son's room.

Donatello's room did not have as much stuff as his brothers' rooms. Most of his belongings were in his lab. I open the door to find him lying in his bed, creating a small whistle sound through the gap in his teeth. His room was mostly clean besides a few papers and other belongings on the floor. Making sure not to step on anything valuable, I make it to his bed and start to gently shake him. He starts to move before turning his back to me and I couldn't help but smile. When my sons were just mere toddlers, they would often try to turn away, pretend to sleep, or cover their heads with anything they could find nearby when I attempted to wake them up.

"Donatello," I whisper, hoping that would cause him to wake up and look at me. It did not.

"Mikey, if you try to wake me one more time, I will smack you with my staff so hard you will get another concussion for life," he mumbles through the blankets.

I smile at his threat. "My son, I need you to wake up. I assure you, Michelangelo is not here."

He finally understood it was me trying to wake him up and not his brother. He sat up straight and looks at me, before blinking the rest of the sleep away.

"Sensei!" he exclaims. "What," he yawns, "what's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"Leonardo has developed a fever. We need you to check on him."

My statement grabs his attention as he removes the rest of the covers that lie on him and stands up. His face turns serious as he leads me back to his lab. When we make it to the bed Leo is on, we realize that Leonardo is awake again, his eyes only partially open.

"Hey buddy," Donnie says with a smile. "Master Splinter says you're not feeling well."

He nods. "My stomach and throat don't feel good."

"I'm going to take your temperature, okay? I'm going to make you feel better."

"Okay," Leonardo whispers, watching Donatello leave to find the thermometer.

He comes back with a small thermometer April had given us years back. "Alright, Leo. I'm going to put this under your arm. Then, after it beeps, I'm going to take it back, okay?"

Leonardo nods again, moving his arm slowly so Donatello could but it in place.

"It's cold," Leonardo says.

"I know, but after this, I'll get you a super warm blanket. Deal?" Donatello asks.

"Deal," he whispers, closing his eyes.

"Do not go to sleep yet, Leonardo," I say, making my voice a bit louder to wake him up.

His eyes open and he looks at me. He doesn't answer but he looks around nervously.

"You okay, Leo?" Donatello asks, also noticing Leonardo's expression.

Leonardo barely nods in reply, looking at the equipment.

"Hey Leo," Donatello says, seemingly trying to distract the young turtle so he doesn't freak out. "Your mom says you have never really been outside? Is that true?"

Leonardo looks at him before nodding. "I've seen it before, though. When we escaped, I saw all those lights in the sky. They were really pretty and shiny."

Donatello chuckles. "Tell you what, you do a good job here and get better, I'll take you outside and you can see the lights again."

Leonardo eyes fill with excitement. "Really?"

"Yeah," he says, starting to talk about stars to the small turtle. Leonardo listens carefully to Donatello and I smile at Leonardo's curiosity to new things. Donatello has always been the most curious out of his four brothers, but Leonardo was next in line. He didn't learn any of the complicated science Donatello learned, but he still enjoyed learning a few new things.

A small beep fills the room and Donatello carefully removes the thermometer. He looks at it before showing a thoughtful look.

"One second, Leo," he says before going around the bed and between me and Miwa. "Has Stockboy ever injected him with chemicals or anything like that?" he whispers to Miwa.

She thinks. "Sometimes. Why? Do you think he caused this?"

"It's possible. It could be as simple as just a fever, or something as complicated as a chemical in his bloodstream. I'll probably need to take a small blood sample, but I need you guys to kind of distract him so he doesn't freak out and make this worse."

Miwa and I nod.

"Leonardo, earlier, you told me not to take you away from your mother. Do you think I would separate you from your mother?" I decide to ask.

"They usually do," is his reply.

"Every time one of us was sick," Miwa explains, "Stockman would take us away from the other until he was sure we were healing."

He nods at her explanation.

My eyes travel to Donatello and I discover him preparing to inject the needle in the small turtle. As soon as it touches his skin, Leonardo gasps in shock and possibly pain. I put my hand on his cheek, keeping him from turning his head and looking at Donatello's work.

"Donatello is trying to make you better, Leonardo," I say, trying to explain my actions.

"But it hurts," my grandson complains. "I don't like it. I don't want to get hurt again."

"I know, Leo; but, I promise he is helping you. Do you remember when you got that splinter in your finger?" Miwa asks.

I hold back a smile that threatened to reveal itself. I find myself doing that when it comes to problems involving splinters. I always believe I am being called and it always grabs my attention.

Miwa continues with her tale. "Even though it hurt, I was able to get it out. The next day, you felt completely better. It hurt at first, but you were well in the end. This is just like back then. Uncle Donnie doesn't mean to hurt you."

Leonardo nods at her words. "Okay."

We continue telling stories and answering each others questions, distracting Leonardo from the small pain in his arm. Our plan works and I barely notice Donatello finishing up. Of course, we have to wait for him to check on the blood and make sure nothing is wrong with the small turtle lying on the bed.

Removing my hand from my grandson's cheek, I pull another bed to Miwa and Leonardo. Together, me and my daughter sat on it, talking until Leonardo's eyelids got too heavy and eventually closed. Miwa put his toy elephant next to him and my grandson's arm reached around its neck and hugged it close. It is moments like this when I wish I carried a camera around as often as I carry a weapon with me.

Miwa feels his head with the back of her snake hand as she removes it from setting down Kino. "He still has a fever, but he seemed a bit more aware than earlier."

I nod. His eyes did hold more life and awareness in them than when I first found him awake.

"Sorry that took long," my son says, coming in with a small smile. "I had to check the blood samples a couple times to make sure I was right. There is a small amount of some type of chemical in his blood system. Luckily, after doing a bit of research, it won't hurt him or anything. The fever is just a reaction to his body fighting the drug. We just need to keep an eye on him, give him some rest, and make sure he stays dehydrated. Same could go for you Ka- I mean, Miwa."

My daughter groans and rolls her eyes. "Fine, fine whatever. I guess I could some rest. Being an adult didn't nearly turn out as awesome as I would hope."

I can't help but chuckle at her statement. Even though she has been raised by Oroku Saki, she reminds me so much of her mother. They way she cares for her child and will often joke and tease. She also has kindness, but unlike her mother, tends to cover it up sometimes.

"Donatello, please get extra blankets for your sister and nephew."

He blinks before nodding and leaving his lab. I believe I'm not the only one getting use to the two new members of our family. I help get my daughter get on the bed next to Leonardo. It was a small challenge since she had no legs to help her up, but we managed. It did not take long for me to hear my son's footsteps returning.

He hands me a large blanket which I hand to Miwa. Donatello puts the other blanket over Leonardo, feeling his head again. Even though my son tries to hide it, I notice the yawn and the tired look that rests in his eyes. He has a tendency to make sure to double check on his sick family members or finish his latest project before going to bed.

"Go to bed, Donatello. You may check on them in the morning."

He rubs the back of his neck and blushes slightly. "Oh. Yeah. Okay, then. Night Ka-Miwa. Good night, Sensei."

My daughter and I watch my son return to his room. I wait to hear his body make contact with the bed before turning to my daughter. "I will see you in the morning, my child." I turn around and head to the door.

"Good night. And thank you."

I turn around and look at her. "You are welcome; but I was not the only one who has gone great lengths to get you here. You must thank your brothers as well."

She nods. "I will."

I close the door and head back to my room to return to bed. Before I leave, I hear my daughter whisper, "Thank you, Leonardo." My heart clenches painfully and I freeze. I shake my head slightly to reawaken myself and quickly return to my room. The small trip there becomes a blur and I find myself on my bed.

Tears began to cover my vision and I do not attempt to stop them. I realize then that having hope for my son's return is a difficult and painful journey; but I cannot give up. Not with my children looking up for me for support (even if they do not wish to admit it).

I must admit, my sleep was not as peaceful as it previously was.

 **A/N: AWWW everyone is missing old Leo :( Please review, favorite, and follow everyone and let me know what you think about ideas/title for side story! :) :) :). By the way, did you guys know Karai/Miwa has another mouth on the back of her head when she's a mutant?! How many mouths does she have?**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hey guys! So I'm going to be busy this week so I can't promise an update next Sunday. I have to watch three extra kids for three days of the week (I also got Zelda: Ocarina Of Time on my WiiU and I can't stop!). My brother has like a one or two more baseball games before he is finally done! Also, know how I said I missed the TMNT episode last chapter...they changed the date! (August 2nd last time I checked was the newest date) :( Anyway, here is the next chapter and hopefully I will be able to write more and keep updating weekly. Cross your fingers!**

 **Review Replies for Chapter 9:**

 **Insanity21:** **I know! Poor Hamato family! I've updated! Also, there will be plenty of little Leo moments ;) By the way, now we can stalk each other! You can stalk me and make sure I update, and I'll stalk you to make sure you don't kill me ;)**

 **Sairey13:** **I think there is a small amount of difference between the little Leos because of who raised them and how they were raised. However, I don't think there is TOO much of a difference. I think Miwa experienced a few flashbacks, but tried focusing more on her son at the moment. By the way, I have an idea coming up with Miwa losing control. I like the idea of locking them up in the Lab though }:). Thanks! And you are so ahead of me in the story! First the Miwa losing control, and then Donnie trying to help Miwa… I swear you are looking at my story plans! Lol! And don't worry, I'm terrible at naming things too. Although, your other story title ideas were awesome! And if I'm running out of ideas for a story, I'll go to you :) :) :)**

 **LilyTheNinjaGirl:** **Haha! I like the way you think }:). And yes, that is how I usually roll ;P. You shall become my ally and together we will...do...something...evilly awesome! Lol!**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Thank you! And here is your chapter update ;)**

 **DP fanboy:** **I shall reveal nothing ;). But I shall tell you a decision will have to be made in the future ;) }:)**

Raphael's P.O.V

I have been getting angrier easily lately. I remember Master Splinter saying something about anger being like a river over stone or something like that. I thought I had a handle on my anger after all these years, yet I have been going back to that lesson more and more lately. I guess a small teenager part of you stays with you for most of your life. I'm not sure if that's good or bad yet.

However, I had an idea on why I was so upset. I had two ideas. Leo and Karai. Before, it was Leo trusting Karai and getting stabbed in the back. Now, it is just the way they have been acting and all this changing. She treats Leo as if he was her's. She treats him like a child. Sure, I'm grateful she has been taking care of him, but Leo won't be staying this way forever.

He will NOT be a kid all over again. He will NOT be Karia's son. And he will NOT be my "nephew" or ANYTHING like that. He is my older brother. He is my leader. He is my best friend…

When Master Splinter told us he got sick this morning, I didn't pay much attention to it. Sure, I'm a bit concerned for him, but what am I suppose to do? Sit there and hold his hand? I didn't have to before. So, while Mikey went to check on "the little tyke," I went back to my room. I have been in here for a while, but it's the only place that seems to make some sense around here. I'm also having a hard time facing that kid, so I guess you can say I'm hiding.

Every time I see that kid, I see Leo. I see Leo laugh and smile. I see Leo trying to overcome his fears. I see Leo looking just like he did the last time I saw him years ago, full of fear and love and determination. Determined to save me and my brothers. Yet, that small turtle isn't my brother. He isn't the Leo I grew up with. He isn't the Leo I fought with. He isn't the Leo I carried after the Kraang invasion. He isn't the Leo I would protect with my life.

I sit on the edge of my bed and look at my T-phone. I thought about calling Casey, but I knew he was probably working. I'll call him later tonight, though. My next thoughts turned to Slash. After Leo "died," he got a group called the "Mighty Mutanimals" and covered for us, stopping crimes throughout the city. His group consisted of Leatherhead, Dr. Rockwell, and Pigeon Pete. (Yeah, apparently the bird can be of some help every now and then.) I'm actually pretty proud of Slash. He turned from a crazy mutant to good leader. He also kind of reminds me of how Leo was. Wanting to be a good leader and protect his team and all that. It's pretty cool.

I decide to call him and let him know what happened. He was like family to me and he was pretty sad about the whole Leo dying thing too. He also may understand what I'm getting at. Going through my contacts, I finally found his number and hit the button to call him.

" _Hey, it's Slash. Can't talk, so leave a message."_

There's a beep.

"Hey Slash, it's Raph. I have no idea what you're doing, but call me back when you get a chance, 'kay? See ya."

I hang up. I really wish he could have picked up, but he's probably doing something important; like fighting or catching up on sleep. I don't blame the guy.

I lay down on my bed, not sure what to do. If I go out there, I'll see the kid. If I stay in here, I'll die of boredom. I let out a sigh. For once, I wish Sensei didn't cancel practice. Since we have grown up and learned a lot, Master Splinter has increased the intensity in practice and me and my brothers have begun to hate them more and more. Except, right now, I wouldn't mind.

I hear a knock at my door and I can't help but sigh. I can already tell where this is going.

"Yeah?"

The door opens to reveal Master Splinter. I watch him and move over slightly as he comes to sit on the bed. For a minute, we don't talk. I think he's trying to figure out what to say; or, he thinks I'm angry and is giving me a few minutes to calm down. He does that when he comes to talk to me after an argument or something.

"You have been avoiding Leonardo, my son," he finally says.

"That's not Leo," I say quietly, sounding angry. See? Already starting to get angry and we have barely even started the conversation. Awesome Raph.

He sighs. "My son, I know this has been difficult for you, but-"

"No, you don't Sensei. You just welcome him with open arms! You don't care that he has forgotten us and-"

"Raphael!"

I immediately stop. I know that was out of line. Sensei has taken this hard, we all have. While I lost a brother and a leader, he lost a student and a son.

"Sorry, Sensei," I say quietly, not looking at him.

He puts a hand over his face and sighs. It's then I see how older Splinter looks. His hair is starting to look more white than brown. Even though he still has tons of muscle and can probably still kick my butt, his frame is starting to look smaller. His beard is also getting longer and I sometimes catch him not standing up straight. We have started worrying for Sensei as more and more years past. Donnie's worried that since he has some rat DNA in him, he may not live as long as the average human. That has become one of my top fears.

"My son," he says quietly, slowly looking at me. His eyes are filled with sadness and it looks almost like he's crying without tears. "We have all been hurt by the lost of your brother. I have lost another part of my family to the Shredder. Now, there is a possibility Donnie can return his brother to us; but until then, there is a small turtle in our home. Yes, this child is not the brother you have grown up with, but he is a child none of the less. He has been a captive to the Shredder his entire life. Do not treat him rudely."

I sigh. "I'm not his uncle."

"I am not asking you to be; although, you might have to tell him that yourself."

I try not to picture the small turtle's face if/when I tell him that. Even though I don't really want anything to do with him, I really don't want to break the kid's heart. I sit up again and put my hands together between my legs, not looking at my father.

"I keep seeing his face," I start. "Every time I go to sleep. Every time I go near where that building was." I pause. "Every time I see that kid. I can only picture Leo's face before he pushed me away. I couldn't do anything then, and I can't do anything now. I just can't."

My father puts his arm around my shoulder and I lean into him. I'm not going to cry. I don't want to, but it feels nice having someone to lean on. Does Sensei have someone to lean on?

"I know, Raphael," he says quietly. "Please do not let your anger lash out on Miwa and Leonardo. Miwa has brought the chance of having your brother back to us. This Leonardo is a child who has not wronged you. They have both been tortured."

I nod. "Okay, Sensei," I say, not sure what else to say. Then, I couldn't help but ask him something that has been bothering me. "Do...do you think Donnie can bring him back?"

My father looks at the far wall. "I'm not sure, my son. I put a lot of trust into your brother's skill. However, some things simply aren't meant to be. The question is, if Leonardo must stay in this form, what are you willing to do? What are you willing to sacrifice for this child?"

He doesn't wait for an answer; I know he's not expecting an answer, at least not yet. He gets up and walks out the door. He says "Stay strong, my son" before he leaves. I can hear laughter in the living room and I know it's Mikey and the kid. It sounds just like Leo's laugh when he was little. I remember playing hide-and-seek in the lair and we couldn't find Leo anywhere. I remember finding him in a super simple spot (behind the counter or something) and he was as quiet as a mouse, blending in with the shadows. As soon as Donnie found him, he yelped and took off, us chasing close behind him. By the end of the day, we couldn't stop laughing and eventually got yelled at for not going to bed. The laughter sounds just like now. Without a care in the world.

I let out a sigh and lay on my bed. I don't know how long I can take this and it's only the second day he has been here. I put my hands over my face. When my phone starts to ring, I jump a bit and sit back up. It's Slash.

"Hello?" I ask, as I pick up my phone.

"Hey bud. It's Slash. Sorry I didn't answer earlier, catching up on a bit of sleep, you know?"

I smile a bit. "Yeah, I figured."

"So what's up?'

"Um, something happened recently," I say, not really sure how to start.

"Like what?"

Just like that, I start to spill. I don't normally spill unless it's Slash or Casey, sometimes with Splinter, April (but she's been gone so I can't really talk to her a lot) and Leo. Slash listens to me talk and he soon seems to understand what I'm staying. I end up talking to him for most of the day until it gets to around 12:30. I hang up and head to the kitchen, trying to find something good to eat.

Of course, everyone else is in there finding food also. I take a breath. I need to keep a level head and not blow up. Let's see if I can do that.

 **(Michelangelo P.O.V. [Earlier])**

As soon as Master Splinter told me Leo was sick, I went to the Lab. Honestly, I'm kind of worried he will disappear or die all over again right after we got him back. I hear Raph walk to his room and Sensei sigh. Truthfully, I don't think much about it. I knew this would be difficult for all of us, but I'm sure we can pull through it. We are a family of mutant ninjas after all.

When I get to the Lab, I find Karai-I mean, Miwa- sit on a bed besides a coughing little Leo. Donnie was by them holding a thermometer so I figured he just took Leo's temperature. He looks at me and gives a small smile.

"Hey, Mikey," he says. "How's your head?"

I brush it off. "Fine, I heard Leo was sick?"

"Stockman gave him a chemical and he's body is just fighting it off."

"He simply has a fever, Mikey," Miwa explained. "Leo will get better in a few days."

I look down at said turtle to see him smiling at me sheepishly. I give him a huge grin in return. I sit besides him and notice how his body tenses up a bit. It takes all my ability not to crush his small body into one big hug.

"While you're here, I can check your stitches, Mike," Donnie says.

I groan but lift up my leg to let him get a better look at it. It really hasn't been hurting me and I have had worse. My head also had a small ache and I don't remember much of the trip home. However, I do remember Miwa telling me what happened so I guess that's the important thing. (I also remember Master Splinter naming something...grrrrr.) The next few minutes are filled with silence and a couple coughs. Finally, D gives me a small nod, tells me I'm good to go, and goes to the other side of the Lab, doing something else.

"What? I don't even get a lollipop?" I ask, trying to sound unfair.

Leo gives me a confused look, obviously not getting it while Miwa chuckles slightly. Of course, they both laugh when Donnie replies with a crumpled piece of paper that hits me straight in the face. His aim is still accurate to this day. Sometimes I wonder how he does it; then I remember he's smart.

"Why don't I give you guys something to eat?" I ask my sister and the small turtle.

"I think that's the best thing I have heard today so far. Sounds good to you, Leo?" Miwa asks.

He shrugs and I take it as a "yes." I move to pick him and he's blanket up, but I see Miwa give a small shake with her head. I give a small nod in return and instead help him down instead of carrying him to the kitchen. He tenses and clutches "Kino" tighter before relaxing a bit when I sit him down. I pretend not to notice as I lead them to the kitchen. When I get in there, I start to look around for food while Miwa sits Leo up on the counter. I'm not offended that Miwa didn't think I should pick Leo up and carry him here. He's probably still kind of freaked since being with the Shredder for like six or five years.

"Okay, how's pizza for breakfast?" I ask with a huge smile.

"Mikey, may I remind you that one of us is sick?"

I'm about to tell my sister how awesome pizza is when Donnie walks in. "They haven't eaten much when they were with the Shredder, Mikey. If you give them too much, they are only going to throw it all back up again. Something pretty easy would be good."

I glare at Donnie playfully. "Are you following me to correct me and give big, informative speeches?"

He lifts up his hands in defense, one hand holding a mug full of coffee. "I'm just getting some coffee and then I'll work in my lab and leave you alone like a good little genius."

I try my best not to laugh as I glare at him till he leaves the room. When I hear his Lab door close, I turn back to Miwa and Leo. "So, toast it is?"

I end up making three pieces of toast for them and put butter and jelly on it. I decide to let them eat and stuff and then get food for me later. Or, I'll just eat a bigger lunch. They both enjoy the toast and I even sneak Leo a small piece of pizza. Surprisingly, he eats he quietly and quickly, just like a ninja would; however, mother skills apparently beat ninja skills. As soon as I turn around, I meet Miwa's green eyes glaring at me and I do my best to give her a cute smile. Even though it's not as cute as they were when I was younger, I still get away with a few things with them.

After eating her toast, Miwa decides to go talk to Donnie. I'm pretty sure she wants to talk about returning Leo to normal but I don't ask. Then, the kitchen became filled with awkward silence. I keep trying to think of something to say as Leo looks down at his kicking feet. Finally, I get an idea.

"Hey, you want to play a game?" I ask.

He looks up at me before giving a small, shy nod. I help him down and lead him to the living room. I leave him there for a few minutes to go throw some old stuff and find an old "Candy Land" board game. I sit next to him, and shuffle the cards, moving them slightly so they work in his favor. I've had enough practice to shuffle the cards just the right way. My brothers have never caught on, but I'm pretty sure Sensei expected something. I wouldn't win all the time so it wasn't too suspicious.

After sitting the deck down, I put out all four gingerbread people so he can chose his character. He looks up at me and I gesture towards them, silently telling him to chose one. He slowly picks the blue one and I chose the yellow since there wasn't any orange people. After explaining the basic rules, the game began. The game seems to be going smoothly and Leo seems to actually be chilling a little bit.

"Oh no! I got to go all the way back here!" I say, sounding devastated, even though I knew the card was coming my way pretty soon. I pick up my person and put him back to start as Leo laughs a little at my fake misery.

I smile before noticing Leo shiver slightly. "You still cold, Leo?" I ask.

He looks up at me and nods slightly. Slowly, I lift up my hand and put it on his head. He leans back a bit before allowing me to put it on his warm head. He still has a fever, but it's not getting worse. I put my hand back and watch Leo get another card. He ends up winning, of course, and he has a big grin on his face. It was totally worth losing at a game of "Candy Land."

"You know," I start to say, "we have a closet of some stuff we had as kids. You want to see them?"

He shrugs. "Can...can I ask something?"

"Of course, little Dude."

"Are you really a hero?"

I laugh a bit, remembering how Miwa mentioned something about telling stories to Leo about us being heroes, yesterday. "I guess we kind of are. I mean, we saved the city a lot of times before."

"With your weapons and fighting?"

"Well, of course. A hero's not a hero without some cool weapon to fight the enemy with."

I can tell he wants to learn more. I think for a minute before an idea came to my mind. "I'll be right back. I have something to show you."

I run to my room and come back with an old photo album. I have been looking at them a lot lately so you can probably find most of the photo albums in my room. They kind of helped me when Leo first disappeared all those years ago. I lay down besides Leo. I cheer in my head when he doesn't tense as much as earlier. I think he is finally warming up to me.

"Here are a few of the pictures me and brothers took when we first went to the surface. There are also of pictures of some adventures we have had."

I show him pictures of the Mutanimals and a couple Mutation Days from the past couple of years. I don't show him any pictures of April and Casey. I also try not to show him any pictures of the older version of himself. However, I realized I messed up when I turn the page to find myself staring at my brother's eyes in the picture. I try to turn the page quickly.

"Wait!" little Leo calls out.

I reluctantly turn the page and watch as Leo looks at me and all three of my brothers. I remember taking the picture without my brothers knowing. It was a quiet patrol and we ended up just sitting on a rooftop, eating pizza we were able to pick up. It took me a few minutes to realize it was the perfect photo opportunity. I get up, acting like I just needed to stretch my legs, before quickly setting the timer on the camera of my T-phone. Putting it on the edge of the roof that was to our left, I quickly sit back down and grab another slice of pizza. The pictured turned out perfect, showing all of us enjoying pizza on a roof in the night sky, just have a good time as brothers. Of course, my brothers figured it out later, especially since I had to have Donnie print out the picture.

Leo seems to study it before pointing the older version of himself. "Who's that?"

I hesitate slightly. "That's another one of my brothers."

"Where is he?"

"He's gone," I say after a few minutes.

Leo seems to think over that for a few minutes before asking "Is he coming back?"

I look at Leo for a few minutes. "I don't know, yet."

I like to think that Leo will turn back to normal but I'm not sure. Donnie hasn't really talked to us about it, but we all know he is working on it. I'm also afraid to get my hopes crushed again. Even after we saw the blood and Leo's Katanas and stuff, I hoped Leo would still come through the Lair doors. After about three years, though, my hope started fading. It was probably one of the worse feelings I have ever felt, and I really don't want to feel that again.

I guess Leo understands I don't really want to talk about because he doesn't ask anymore questions. I turn the page and look at other photos.

We probably do this for a while before Miwa sits behind Leo and listens to the stories. I almost ask them if I can take a picture of them but if Miwa is anything like I think she is, she will probably be totally against pictures. But it's so cute how Leo sits in Miwa's lap, both looking at me with big eyes.

"Did you stay here when you were little, Uncle Mikey?" Leo asks.

I mentally cheer at hearing Leo call me that name. "Yes, I did. I watched TV, played games, trained, pull pranks, and all sorts of stuff."

"He was a trouble maker just like you are, Leo," Karai says, tickling him with her snake-hand-tongues. Little bit weird, but also cute.

Leo giggles and tried pushing his mother's hands away, but of course, it doesn't work. After a while though, she shows mercy and lets him go. He leans back against her again, his smile bigger than earlier. Master Splinter comes and join us as well, standing besides Miwa so she can see him. After a few minutes, he sits down besides his daughter. I feel a little awkward telling the stories since Master Splinter knew all of these stories.

"My son, I believe now is a good time for lunch?" Master Splinter offers.

I look up at the clock Donnie made a couple years ago, realizing it was 12:30. Wow, I didn't think that much time has past. I give a nod and close the photo albums and get ready to put them back. As I put them away, I realize that deep down, I really wanted something to spark when Leo looked at the photos. Maybe they will. I guess even when you don't want to hope, your heart ends up hoping anyway. I'm also the hopeful one of my family so I guess I kind of have to…

I can't help but stop when I reach the doorway of the kitchen. Don's there (drinking coffee of course) talking to Splinter. He's probably trying to convince Master Splinter to let him eat in his lab while he works; the conversation seems to tilt more towards Sensei's side. Miwa stays by both Master Splinter and little Leo, keeping a hand on her son's shoulder. However, I realize her gaze keeps glancing at Raph, who was at the other side of the kitchen, glancing in their direction as well. I clear my throat, trying to get my genius brother's attention as well as break the awkward silence. Even though I expected some heads to turn towards my direction, it still felt like I was in an interrogation room when all heads turn towards me.

"So," I start, "what should I give people for lunch?" I was really meaning "What should I give Miwa and Leo?" but I figure Don would get it. It would also hopefully prevent any more harsh words from my hotheaded brother.

"Ummm, some soup? Maybe some fruit. Still something small and easy, but a bit more than last time and not too much," he replies.

I nod, putting my cooking talent to work. I notice Sensei's glance at Raphael and I'm sure I'm not the only one; however, I don't ask about it. I open the kitchen in search a food. There was a strange jar on the side and, after taking a closer look, I realize it was a jar of pickles. I'm sure I can use that for something!

"Why did you say I was a ninja and your brother?"

The jar of pickles slip from fingers right after Leo asks his question. I have no idea what he is talking about but I'm kind of panicking here! **(A/N: Mikey wasn't there to hear Raph's angry rant: Chapter 6.)** What is Leo finds out about his past? What is he going to say or do? Using my ninja skills, I realize everyone jumps at the sound of glass crashing into the floor.

"Sorry!" I say to everyone. Before I get down to pick up the glass and pickles, I notice Leo still has his gaze on Raph and Raph has his gaze on Leo, there eyes never leaving each others. Raph looks slightly pale at Leo's question that is obviously directed towards him. My guess is Raph slipped something out or whatever yesterday before I got home. Leo, on the other hand, looks curious, and determined to get some answers. I don't really blame him, this whole situation still seems confusing to me and I know a lot more than him.

"W-What?" Raph manages to get out.

"Yesterday, you said I am your brother, and that I had brothers of my own. You said I was a mutant ninja turtle. You said I had a childhood, toys, a room, and some other stuff. Why did you say that?"

"He was being silly, Leo," Miwa says, her voice sounds soft but her glare towards Raph says "murder" all over. Angry sisters, very scary.

"No," Leo says simply, still very stubborn and determined. Guess some things never change. "Since we got here, you guys have been saying weird stuff about me that I don't understand. Like if I remembered something, or that I had brothers, or that years were taken away or something like that. I want to know why."

Raph continues to return Leo's gaze, watching Leo just as closely as Leo was watching him. "You remind me of my brother," Raph says. "My brother that was taken away years ago. You act a lot like he did when he was little. About the years being taken, we think the Shredder kidnapped you from your family. Those years that could have been spent with your real family were taken away from you."

"But Mommy IS my real family!" he says quickly, hugging Miwa. "All of you are my real family." He looks around at all of us, as if making sure what he is saying is true.

"Yes, Leonardo. And you are our real family. Even though we are sad that you did not get to spend time with the original family Raphael speaks of, we are grateful that you are here with us." Master Splinter puts a comforting hand on Leo's head as he speaks. Again, another cute moment for a camera!

"And we won't say 'weird stuff' again, right guys?" Donnie asks, giving us ALL a look.

I realize what he is trying to silently say. He doesn't want us to talk about Leo's old life in front of him. I don't think any of us wants to confuse him, especially since we are still working on gaining his trust.

Raph nods before grabbing a cold slice of pizza (PIZZA! I could have used that for lunch! Wait, was that my piece of pizza I was saving for later…?) and walking off into his room. I guess he has had enough Little Leo time for the day. I can't blame him, either. Sometimes it's hard to look at my tiny nephew and think that he is my older brother. He is the one I would go to when I had nightmares. He is one of the people I can fully trust to have my back.

"Yeah," I agree. "I don't want to confuse my little buddy!"

Leo smiles at me and snuggles into his mother some more. It's really cute!

"And Michelangelo?" Master Splinter says.

"Yes, Sensei?"

"Pick up those pickles. I believe Donatello can find us something suitable for lunch."

Ugh! I hate cleaning…

( **A/N: How's that for long? Thank you guys for reviewing and giving a few ideas/suggestions. I love getting them! Can't promise I'll do them but I love hearing your opinions and ideas! Keep them coming! Review, follow, favorite, and blah blah blah ;) )**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I didn't update last week! I have been busy and not in the best of moods lately… I'm still trying to find the energy to write though! Hopefully, my writing fire won't die out. This is just kind of a filler chapter for a big thing coming in a bit! Enjoy!**

 **Review Replies from Chapter 10:**

 **Sairey13** **: Yeah, I know Leo is going to figure out, the thing is though I don't know about his reaction...I think I may stop the story before then, but may leave room for a possible sequel if everything goes the way I want it to. I originally wasn't planning on the Mutanimals really coming into the story (just because I might have a hard time writing them); but after picturing Leo cuddle up to Leatherhead and play with the others and all the stuff you mentioned...I kind of want to now! I will definitely think about/look into that! Thanks for the idea!**

 **Insanity21** **: Lol, yes, Leo is tired of being confused and left out ;). As for his point-of-view, wait till the next chapter ;). And I'm really glad you are enjoying the story! :) :) :)**

 **roocat2010:** **Thank you! Little Leo moments are adorable! :) :) :)**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Here is an update! Sorry it wasn't very quick, but those three kids I had to babysit plus my brother drove me crazy! Thanks, though, for the compliment on my story, it means a lot :)**

 **Disclaimer: Yes! I do, I have captured them and now they are- *phone rings* *picks up phone* Yes? Oh! Hello! What? *sigh* okay… *hangs up phone* Never mind...**

Raphael's P.O.V **(Again :P)**

Why is it when you are trying to hide from something, you keep running into it anyway? Ever since lunch, I kind of try avoiding everyone, especially Leo. I just about revealed the biggest secret we are hiding from him and I just about slipped! However, as the hours went by, I start to get really bored just laying around in my room and working out in the Dojo. I would go topside with Casey, but Splinter has made it very clear that he wants nobody going to the surface. The Shredder could still be looking for Miwa and Leo and the last thing we need is him grabbing another family member and making life even more crazy.

I sent a text to Casey, telling him to keep an eye open, even though he is working. During the week, two to eight, he works at some automobile repair place. Every now and then, we talk about vehicles and I help him if he has to work late and no one is around. He loves working there and hopes he can be promoted and get a bit more money. Before that job, though, he works at some fast food place, starting at four in the morning to noon. That place, he doesn't like. Then, on Saturday mornings, he helps work at the ice rink. It's not too bad, just doesn't really bring any money. I thought about trying to help Casey out, but it's hard to do that when you are a giant talking turtle.

After beating the punching bag in the Dojo a few more times, I look at the time. Four o'clock. I turn around to get my bottle of water. Oh course, just as I turn around to not find it in it's usual spot, I remember I left it in the fridge. Groaning a bit, I make it to the kitchen.

I can hear Donnie working in his lab and I can't help but shake my head. I can already tell he's going to work constantly, trying to find a cure for our "nephew." If Leo (my older brother Leo) was still here, he would go into Donnie's lab and drag him out of there, making sure he got the food and rest he needed. Donnie hasn't been up too late working on experiments lately, but when he would, Master Splinter and I would drag him out of there. Still, it's not the same as when Leo would do it. It was like he job he was silently given. I don't like taking my brother's old jobs.

Master Splinter and Miwa are talking quietly in the kitchen, drinking cups of tea. Miwa looks at me and gives me a smile while Sensei gives me a small nod before going back to their conversation. I figure it's a private conversation so I don't try listening to it. They probably would be in the Dojo talking if I wasn't training in there. I decide to just grab a quick apple and a bottle of water before heading out of the kitchen as quick as I can, giving them some privacy.

As I walk out of the kitchen, I hear small coughing and some laughter. I look over the couch to see Mikey sitting besides the small turtle, who's wrapped up in a small blanket, both holding controllers and staring at the TV. Curiosity got the best of me and I sit down just above them, munching on my apple. They were playing some sort of fighting game. Truthfully, this little Leo was doing terrible. His eyes would flicker between the screen and his and Mikey's controller. After a few moments, I realize that even though Leo is losing, Mikey is still going pretty easy on him. Of course he would.

I'm about to tell Mikey to stop going hard on him before I decide to let them have their fun. I hate it when people go easy, though. How are they suppose to get stronger and better at it if you keep babying them? Hopefully, I'll get my older brother back soon and it won't be too big of a deal. I take a huge gulp of water before standing up again. I think I'm done training in the Dojo, but I'm sure I can find something to do in my room. Maybe in a bit I'll mess with Donnie a bit.

"Want to play with me?"

I turn around to see Leo looking up at me with big, blue eyes. I'm about to tell him that I have better things to do, but then I see Mikey's eyes. He's silently pleading for me to give this small turtle a chance. I groan a bit, but reluctantly sit back down. I can barely stand one pair of puppy eyes, let alone two! Mikey offers his controller and I take it without meeting his eyes, still annoyed I'm doing this.

"Fine," I say, "but I won't go easy on you like Mikey over here."

"I wasn't going easy on him!" my brother lies. I see him glaring at me through the corner of my eye.

"Okay," Leo says, seeming oblivious to me and my brother's small argument.

I restart the game and have my guy come towards Leo's player, ready to take him out as quick as I can. Before my character's foot connects to Leo's, he has his person jump over mine and kicks him in the back. Before I can react, Leo's character starts swiftly doing attacks over and over again. The words "Player 2 Wins" before a few options, like restart and quit, pop up on the screen. My mouth drops a bit. Leo wasn't nearly this good just a few seconds ago. I look at Mikey for an explanation but he looks just as surprise as I am. I look down at Leo to see him giving him a sly smile. I smirk in realization. The little twerp was faking it, watching all of Mikey's moves during the previous games. Even though this Leo is not the brother I knew, he sure acted like it sometimes. If my brother was here now, he would probably say "You should be prepared for anything" or "One of a ninja's greatest weapon in deception, along with awesome skills."

My eyes narrow as the competitive side takes over me and I hunch close to the controller. "Rematch."

We end up playing a lot longer than I thought. After me and Leo went at it for a bit (me winning four times while Leo one two, still pretty good for playing the game for the first time) Mikey steals my controller, saying he wanted a turn. After a while of me watching the two fight each other, I challenge my brother in orange. By the end of it all, we are all smiling and laughing. Mikey and I start wrestling over who REALLY won our latest match (me) while Leo laughs and cheers us on. Of course, that's when the parents show up.

Sensei, of course, hits pressure points on me and my brother while Miwa takes Leo to the other side of the room and talks to him. When a look over at them, though, Leo is still smiling as his mother speaks to him. I swear I see a hint of a smile on my sister's face as well after she looks over at us. After Master Splinter lets us go, Mikey, Leo, and I are told to clean up the living room. It's not too bad of a punishment, but being told by your dad to clean up the living room as an adult is not cool. It's also just not fun.

I stand up from putting the controllers back in their place to see Donnie standing at the doorway of his lab, a hand over his mouth to hide the chuckles that slightly rack his body. I give him one of my famous glares in return. He sees my glare and quickly goes back in his lab, shutting the door behind him. A smile crosses my face at my brother's retreat.

After the living room is good enough for Master Splinter to approve, Mikey looks up and gives us a smile. "You know, guys, we never really got a chance to celebrate having Leo and Miwa here."

We all think about this for a bit until Master Splinter says, "I agree, Michelangelo. I believe this great change in our family must be remembered and 'celebrated.'"

After seeing everyone's agreement, Mikey's smile grew. "Yes! We can all watch a movie! Nothing scary because Leo is still little. And we can pop popcorn and give each other a bowl! Then we have tons of drinks in the fridge we can have! Although, we can't have Raph's secret stash of-"

I cover his mouth with my hand, knowing what he was going to say next. "Sure, Mikey," I say, trying to sound casual. "A movie sounds great. Why don't you go pick out a movie with everyone and I will pop popcorn?"

Mikey smiles again and nods. I usually don't let him pick out a movie because he can still act like a teen, wanting to watch shows we watched years ago. He must have gotten excited over me finally allowing him to pick out a movie. As he walks over to our collection of movies, I walk to the kitchen, ignoring Master Splinter's curious look. He probably has an idea on what Mikey was going to say.

I grab a bag of popcorn from the cabinet and put it in the microwave. I lean against the counter, waiting for the popcorn to pop. Donnie comes into the kitchen and grabs a couple of cups. I give him a questioning look, silently asking him why isn't he out there with the others.

He gives me a small smile. "Mikey and Leo are picking out a movie. Didn't want to get in the way."

I nod in understanding, smiling a bit. Mikey can get so into some of movies, that sometimes it's best to just leave him to them. He also has a hard time choosing between movies; so, it may be a while until we actually watch the movie. I hear the microwave beat and I pull out a smoking bag of popcorn before popping another one. With our family, we have to usually pop about three bags of popcorn for all of us. Even though we don't have THAT big of a family, me and Mikey can almost eat a whole bag each and sometimes snack off of someone's bowl.

Donnie puts ice cubes in three cups before filling them up with water. "Leo and Miwa need to drink plenty of water. They didn't get much when they were held captive," he explains.

I nod, opening the ready bag of popcorn and putting it in a large bowl. "How is the research on Leo going?" I can't help but ask. I know Donnie is working his hardest and nonstop on the project, but I have to know. Sure, this new, little Leo is cute and all, but I want my older brother and leader back.

"Okay, I guess. Slower than I like," he says, filling up the last glass of water that is probably for himself. "Finding out why Leo is sick and if there are going to be any big, major symptoms kind of pushed me back. Also, the fact I'm trying to find out the components of a drug that is in a mutant turtle's blood that has been there for years take time and work."

"I understand," I say, trying not to show I'm pushing him. "Just impatient, I guess."

Donnie lets out a sigh and puts the glass on the counter. He leans against the fridge, standing in a similar pose to me. "I think we are all a bit impatient, Raph. When I find anything though, I'll let you know."

I think that over a bit. I honestly know my brother will work as hard and as fast as he can to find out anything on Leo and tell me as soon as he learns anything. I about ask him if he really thinks we can change Leo back after looking at all the info he got, but I decide to give him some space. After all, this is his brother, too.

Even when we were little, Donnie and Leo were pretty close. Me and Leo fought all the time and couldn't always get along. Mikey and Leo are almost complete opposites. Of course, they get along okay, but Mikey just has those annoying moments. Leo and Donnie rarely got into a fight or argument. Both of them like to learn new things, both can be real nerds, and both have soft hearts. I don't know how this is all affecting Donnie, but I know this has to be hard on him, too.

"You doing okay, Don?"

He blinks at my question, obviously not expecting my question. He looks down at his feet after a bit. "Yeah, I don't think my mind really caught up with what is happening. I mean, my older brother is now a small child that probably can't even read, yet. I just," he shakes his head, "I just can't believe this is all happening."

I ignore the beeping of the microwave and walk over to my brother. I don't like getting all emotional and soft, but I pull my brother into a hug. I put my hand on his shell as he puts his chin on my shoulder. I feel his arms hold me back tightly.

"Don't worry, bro," I say quietly. "You can fix this."

"But what if there is no way to fix it?"

"Then we get use to having another little brother." I think about it for a minute. "It'll be scary having another little brother; but, we dealt with Mikey so we should be able to handle it."

He laughs a bit before pulling away. He gestures to the glasses. "We should probably start getting ready before they wonder where we are. I'll take these in there and then I will help you get the popcorn."

"Alright," I say as he walks away. "Thanks, Don!"

As soon as Donnie walks out of the kitchen, Mikey comes storming into the kitchen. He opens the freezer and pulls out (none other than) Ice Cream Kitty. Mikey sets the ice cream mutant into a red cooler and starts running back to the living room. Luckily, he notices my questioning look so he can answer what he was doing.

"Leo hasn't met Ice Cream Kitty yet!" he says, before starting to run out of the kitchen. I hear him yell "Oops! Sorry, D!" and I try to hold back my laughter. I guess my quick brother about ran into my genius brother.

After I pour the third bag of popcorn in a bowl and Donnie takes the second bowl I made into the living room, I follow my genius brother and find a good spot. I don't see the title of the movie, but it doesn't look to horrible of a movie. I don't really remember it so it must have been a while since I watched it. It's at the middle of the movie when I look at my family.

Mikey is laying on his stomach, shoving popcorn in his mouth and watching the TV wide-eyed. He looks like a child that is watching this movie for the first time. Even though it sometimes seems annoying, sometimes it's good that Mikey acts like a kid. It can sometimes put a smile on your face.

Donnie is leaning back in a chair. I'm not sure how much he is actually paying attention. His eyelids start to drop every once in a while, but he always forces them back open and watches the screen. I decide not to pick on him as his eyelids close again. I'm pretty sure he is going to fall asleep pretty soon. He probably needs it. I have a feeling he is going to stay up late again tonight.

Leo is sitting between Mikey and Ice Cream Kitty. and Miwa. I guess Leo and Ice Cream Kitty became friends because every now and then Ice Cream Kitty would lick Leo's arm. In return, he would smile at the mutant cat and give him a small pet to the head before returning back to the movie. I'm not surprised to find him cuddled close to Miwa, as well, since I usually see them together. However, it takes a lot of strength not to laugh at finding him almost in the same exact position as Mikey. His eyes are wide and laying on his stomach as well. With his eyes on the TV, he lifts his hand to grab a piece of popcorn from Mikey's bowl that sits right besides him. I smirk. Before we got the movie started, Donnie told Miwa and Leo to not eat any of the popcorn. It might cause their stomachs to become unsettled because they haven't eaten buttery, salty junk food for a long time.

His mother, though, decides to follow Donnie's advice and lightly smacks Leo's hand, he eyes never leaving the TV screen. Leo slowly put his hand back in front of him to hold up his head, still paying full attention to the movie. The funny thing is Miwa reminds me of Master Splinter; except, she seems to be a little more lean back than Master Splinter.

When I look at Master Splinter, I notice he is doing the same thing I am, watching our family. His eyes meet mine and we share a smile and knowing look. I turn my head back towards the TV screen. My breath catches in my throat when I realize something. I just acted like Leo.

Is it that easy to replace him? Could I just easily fill in his roles as a leader? If I didn't get my older brother back, could I really just easily slip into being the eldest brother? My mind continues racing with these thoughts and I get the sudden urge to throw up. I slowly and quietly get up whispering, "I'll be right back," to anyone who notices me leaving. I didn't get a reply so I don't know who even noticed. I hear Leo ask something, but I don't hear it.

I walk to my room and shut the door behind me. I sit on my bed and put my head in my hands. No, I can't replace my brother. The more I think about it, the more I realize how much I was acting like Leo before he was captured. I comforted my brother, I watch out for my brothers while they are relaxing and having a good time, and I'm even starting to give orders.

No, I'm not going to replace, Leonardo. I'm not going to take his place as leader and eldest brother. I need my older brother back...

Just as that thought went through my head, I hear someone by my door. I raise my head, seeing the shadows of someone's feet. They don't knock. They just stand there, swaying a bit. After a few minutes of waiting, I decide to make the first move. I get up from my bed and walk to the door, opening it quickly.

When I open the door, no one seems to be there. Then, I look down. Sure enough, there is Leo, staring up at me with large eyes and his mouth slightly open. He obviously is surprise I opened the door. He quickly shuts his mouth and looks down at his feet, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Umm," I start, "what are you doing, Leo?"

He starts to move his feet, keeping his eyes on them but glancing up at me every now and then. "You were gone for a while," he says in a quiet voice. "I, um, I wanted to check on you."

I smile before it hits me. Leo was checking on his family. Maybe, I'm not replacing my brother. Of course, I want my older brother more than anything; but, now I don't have to do every single thing just like he did. No, life just got a bit different now. A bit more weird. I'm not sure if it really makes since, but just knowing there is still a part of my brother in that small turtle body totally made my day.

"Come on," I say, titling my head towards the living room. "We should probably head back before they start wondering what we are doing."

Leo looks up at me and a smile grows on his face before he quietly follows behind me.

 **A/N: You are welcome. I was going to leave this chapter all emotionally sad, but then I had Leo come in, so you are welcome. Lol ;P. Sorry if the beginning of this chapters seem kind of rushed. I had a bit of a struggle starting this chapter and didn't feel like rewriting it. Yes, I'm lazy. ;) Also sorry this chapter is kind of short, but if all works out as planned, then the next chapter will be long and something BIG is coming up! After all, things can't be peaceful for too long, right? }:)**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Guys, guess what? I'm doing at least some of this chapter in Leo's P.O.V! You all know you wanted this ;). I had to help with my church's VBS and it's been hard to write but here you go! Also, my Wifi has been acting up and being super slow so I couldn't watch stuff on Youtube! How does this relate to the update chapter? I had to release my frustration and saddness by torturing characters! In this chapter a bit, and future ones! Your welcome ;)**

 **Reviews from Chapter 11:**

 **Insanity21:** **Awww! Thank you! Here is a BIG chapter for you! Hope you like! And I will do my best to keep writing! :) :) :)**

 **Sairey13:** **I get what you are saying with the Raph and Leo bond. Leo and Don have a calm personality; but Raph and Leo have a good, (big) brotherly bond, I guess. And thank you with the help on whether Ice Cream Kitty was a girl or not. I wasn't sure so I tried not to really mentioned it but I guess "he" snuck in. I like the idea with giving Ice Cream Kitty a name; however, I'm not sure if I will do that in the story...that is a good idea though! As the relationship thing, I'm not sure. In later chapters, you will see more of April and Casey, but I'm not sure about relationships. Even though I see April and Casey getting together, I can also see her and Donnie getting together. I'm also not a huge fan of romance so I can't promise any relationships in the story, but maybe there will be later...we will just have to see ;)**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Thank you and here is your chapter!**

 **Flameing-Shadow:** **Thank you! I'm glad to hear you like it and I love hearing compliments! It makes my day and encourages me to keep writing! Don't worry, April and Casey are coming ;) And here is a chapter (before you hurt me ;P)**

 **Disclaimer:**

Leonardo's P.O.V

My eyes shoot open and I sit up as quick as my body can. I don't realize I'm screaming until I have to start breathing deeply to get air into my body. I look around quickly and remember I'm in the main room of the Lair. Last night, Uncle Donnie told me and Mommy we can sleep in the living room with a lot of blankets and pillows instead of sleeping in his lab. I didn't like sleeping in the Lab, it reminds of one of those scary rooms back at the Bad Place. I think Mommy thinks the same thing.

"Leonardo." I jump slightly at the voice and turn to my mother who was sitting besides me, looking concern. "Are you alright?"

I nod, feeling a slight heat rise to my cheek. I hate having a nightmare almost every night. Even in the Room, where me and Mom usually stayed at, I would have strange nightmares. I lot of them had my uncles and grandfather in them (even before I met them!) the Sharp Man, the Smart Man, mutants, and a few other humans. Some nights, I'll just wake up with a start, get close to my mom, and go to sleep. Other nights, I wake up screaming and stay awake for the rest of the night. I guess this is one of those nights.

I think Mommy knew it was a nightmare and puts one of her arms around my shoulders. After a nightmare, she keeps me close and even talks to me quietly, letting me know I am safe and not where I was in the dream. I cuddle close to her and pull the blanket I slightly kicked off closer.

I jump slightly again at the sound of feet running towards us. They were quiet, but I could still hear them. Splinter (or Master Splinter as my uncles call him) opens the "Dojo" doors quickly, looking around as if looking for a bad guy. I turn my head at the sound of more footsteps to find Uncle Raphael coming from the hallway, looking around just like Master Splinter. I feel more heat come on my face at the sight of them worrying and look down at my hands.

"Miwa," Grandfather starts, "is everything alright?"

I feel Mom nod beside me. "Yes. Leonardo just had a nightmare. He has been having them for a long time."

He lets out a small sigh of relief and I see him nod in understanding out of the corner of my eye. I don't meet his eyes as he quietly walks back into the Dojo.

As soon as he closes the door, there is a loud thump sounding through the Lair. Uncle Mikey comes running in, his orange mask not on right and covering one of his eyes. "I'm here!" he says. "What happened? Everyone okay?"

"Everyone's fine, Knucklehead. Leo just had a nightmare," Uncle Raph explains, walking back toward his room.

"Oh," Mikey says, sounding tired again. He practically drags himself back towards his room. I can't help but smile as his tired form shuts his door behind him. Out of all my uncles, he is probably the funniest, even when he doesn't mean to be. Of course, they are all awesome.

I don't move when I feel my mom's hand on my head, trying to get an idea on my temperature. She gives me a small smile before saying, "You think we should go have Uncle Donnie check on you? I think you don't have a temperature, but we should probably have him make sure."

I nod. I make a move to get up but I notice she doesn't move. I look at her, silently wondering why she isn't getting ready to go to the Lab.

She gives me a slightly worried look. "Leonardo, what were you dreaming about?"

I give a small shrug as I try to remember what scared me so much. "I was at a farm. It was a big house with a lot grass. My knee was hurting so I was resting it while Uncle Raph was fighting a human. He had a weird, white mask on and a couple sticks. Then, this huge bird, worm thing came flying down. He captured the weird human and my brothers before-"

"Your what?"

I give her a strange look. "My uncles. The mutant bird thing capture the human and my uncles before flying off," I repeat. That's what I said, right?

She nods, having a thoughtful look on her face. "Okay, go on."

"After the creature left," I start again, "another human with orange hair started to attack me. I ended up falling off of a cliff and I landed on the creature. I was riding him, and then the Sharp Man was behind me. He pulled me off and threw me to the ground and I-" I stop myself. The image of my body falling from the sky and making contact with the hard, stone ground made me shudder. I hate heights. I hate falling.

She rubs my shoulder and gives me a reassuring smile. "The Shredder is gone, my son. Don't worry; he won't hurt you, again."

I nod. I believe her. Even though I have only been here for a couple days, I feel like everyone has each other's back. I follow my mom when she starts to stand up and walk to the Lab. After my scream, I think we are both pretty sure Uncle Don is up now. When we reach the door, Mom gives a nod towards the door, giving me a "go ahead" look. I give a small sigh, silently cursing at my shyness, and knock on the door.

Uncle Don opens the door and gives me a small smile. "Hey, everything alright?"

"Leo just had a nightmare earlier since I know you are wondering what happened," Mom says, giving him a smirk and crossing her arms over her chest. I let out a small laugh as I saw the defeated look in his eyes. "Anyway, I think Leo's fever passed and wanted to know if you want to check on him?"

"Sure, come on in and sit down on one of the cots," he replies, moving away from the door.

Mommy and I follow him into his lab. I try to focus on the cot in front of us and not the scary looking tools around the room. I feel Mom tense up beside me the further we walk into the Lab. She picks me up and sits me on the cot when we get close to it. She puts her arm on my shoulder again as my eyes start to travel around the room and memories slowly flood my mind.

"Okay, Leo, I'm going to take your temperature first," Donnie says, snapping my mind back into the present.

I nod and lift up my arm so he can put the thermometer under my arm. My eyes start to travel again until I see something big and black in the corner of the room. It looks familiar, but I don't remember ever seeing it in the Smart Guy's lab.

"What's that?" I ask Uncle Donnie, pointing at the object with my other arm.

He turns around a bit, looking back at me with a smile. "That's the Stealth Bike **(I totally forget if that's what Donnie called it in the 2012 universe…)** I made years back. I decided to work on it a bit more so now it has a few weapons and is even quieter than before," he explains.

"So that's the only one?" I ask.

"Yeah." He raises an eyebrow. "Why? Have you seen one before?"

I look back at the object, trying everything I can to remember where I saw it before. A couple flashes come to my mind. A street. Buildings. A girl. A big car that looks like a big box with wheels and a round thing in front.

"I'm not sure," I say honestly. "It looks familiar, but I don't know when I saw it."

He seems to watch me closely for a few minutes before sharing a small smile with my mom. They quickly start to do their own thing when I start looking between them. I can't help but narrow my eyes. I don't like how they treat me differently like I'm fragile and little and they act like they are hiding things from me. Even though it is driving me crazy, I decide not to say anything and continue looking around my uncle's lab.

After a small beep sounds, Donnie removes the thermometer from under my arm. He smiles at me. "Your fever is gone," he says happily. "I just want to do a few more things."

"Okay," I say quietly watching as Uncle Don walks over to grab something from another table. I try to give him a confuse look (trying not to look as nervous as I am slowly starting to feel) when I see him walk back with a wooden stick.

He chuckles a bit at my confusion. "I'm going to use this to see your throat by pushing on your tongue. Can you do that?"

I shiver a bit. The Smart Man poured and shoved stuff in my throat before and it wasn't fun. It hurt; and it usually made me feel sick or weird. I look at my mom. I know she will be there for me, and if she knew this was the right thing, then I will do it. Of course, she gives me another small nod. I look back at my uncle and give him a small nod, letting out another small sigh.

I open my mouth wide as I felt my uncle put the stick on my tongue. It wasn't so bad until the stick started going further down in my throat. Panic started to build up. Flashes of being forced to drink some bad tasting purple stuff appear in my mind. I remember shaking after that, unable to control my body as my head hit the bed/table, over and over again. I close my eyes tightly at the memory. _This is Uncle Donnie,_ I tell myself. _He's trying to help me. He won't hurt me. Mommy trusts him. I can trust him._ The words help, but I don't open my eyes until I feel the stick leave my mouth. I close it immediately and slowly open my eyes.

Donnie throws away the stick before looking at me and my mother. "I need to take another small blood sample, just to make sure it's all gone."

I swallow and look at my mom. She gives down a nod before helping me lay down, even though I don't need the help. She puts her hand on a side of my face so I look at her and not my uncle. I remember last time I was in here and knew she was trying to keep me from freaking out about the needle. I feel a small pinch in my arm a few moments later and I close my eyes in pain

"Leonardo," Mom says. I open my eyes and look at her, waiting for her to continue. "Why don't you tell Donnie about the dream? I'm sure he wants to know about it."

I raise my eyes at her, but I don't question her. "Umm," I start. It feels weird trying to talk to my uncle without looking at him. "I had a dream about us being on a farm, except Master Splinter and Mommy weren't there."

Even though my grandfather didn't tell me to, I feel more comfortable calling him "Master Splinter" than "Splinter." I think it's to show respect; it also just feels right. The times I don't call him "Master Splinter," I call him "Grandfather."

"Uncle Raph was fighting a human with a white mask," I continue. "Then, a bird, worm thing attack everyone and took all you guys away. A girl with red hair attacked me before the Sharp Man did and pushed me off the bird creature."

Even though I could only see my mom, I can practically feel the stillness in the room. It wasn't long before my mom lets go of my head and I turn to look at my Uncle Donnie. He had a huge smile on his face as he put a band-aid on the small hold in my arm. After he makes sure it's on nice and tight, his eyes make contact with mine and my mother's, smiling at us both. He walks over to some machines and a couple computers before turning to look at us over, still smiling. He's kind of creeping me out.

"Congrats, Leo," he says. "It seems like your fever is gone. I still have to check your blood sample and you may still have a small cough and stuff, but you should be fine."

I smile. I hate being sick. I look over at Mom and see her smiling down at me. I lean in a bit closer to her and whisper curiously, "Why is Uncle Donnie so happy?"

She chuckles before looking at my said uncle. I decide to keep looking at her, though, waiting for my answer. After a few moments, still looking at my uncle, who was by his machines, she whispers, "He has hope."

Well, that didn't help the confusion. Hope for what? Getting better? I have been sick worse before. I thought it was just a simple fever. Before I can ask anymore, Uncle MIkey walks into the Lab, looking a bit more awake than last time I saw him.

"Hey, D!" he calls, walking over to Donnie. Donnie doesn't even look at him, more focused on his projects or whatever he is working on. "Can I have some money for pizza tonight?"

That causes the smart turtle to look up at Mikey. "No way! I had to pay last time!"

"But I had to get it last time!"

"So? A turtle like you could use the exercise." I cover my mouth with my hand at Donnie's comment.

"What is THAT suppose to mean?" my uncle asks, sounding offended. He starts to flex his muscles and kiss his arms. "These bad boys could so whip your butt. If anyone needs the exercise, it's you-"

Whatever he is going to say is cut off by Uncle Donnie, who grabs his big stick (I think I heard them say it's a Bo staff) and swings Uncle Mikey's legs from under him. Mikey groans and gives a small "ow" before sitting up and rubbing the back of his head, glaring at his brother.

"Why don't you have Raph pay for pizza tonight? I don't think he has for a while," Donnie suggests, going back to his work.

Mikey thinks about this for a minute before putting on a smile. "That works!" He looks at me. "So, you all better?"

"Yeah," I say, happily. Mikey said he would show me all sorts of stuff when I'm better. Like some more games, skateboarding, the tire-swing, swimming, and a few other stuff.

"Awesome! Me and you can play "Scientists" with Ice Cream Kitty when Donnie leaves his lab," he tells with a wink.

"If you do, you will never see your comics again," Uncle Donnie says.

Uncle Mikey's eyes widen. He says something else but I stop listening. I feel my mother tense up beside me. I turn to look at her and my own eyes widen. Her eyes start to dart everywhere and she starts to shake. I have a second of warning to jump off the table before she freaks out. Her tail hits the table, causing it to flip over, and she lets out a loud hiss. I no longer hear my uncles' conversation and I can only guess my mom has grabbed their attention.

"Umm, Donnie, care to explain what is going on?" I hear Mikey ask.

Even though I know the answer, I don't say anything. I know my mommy loves me and will protect me, but once she acts like this, she can be very dangerous. The last thing I want her to do, is focus on me and attack. Unfortunately, Uncle Mikey and Donnie didn't know that, yet.

Uncle Donnie gives a small gasp. "Stockman hasn't permanently fixed her mind! He must have fixed it only temporarily!"

"So you mean-"

He doesn't finish. Mom springs toward him, the mouths on her hands open and ready to strike. Luckily, Mikey moves just in time, Mom's teeth sinking into the counter behind him. She turns around and glares at him. Before she can do anything, Uncle Donnie tries to talk to her.

"Miwa. Karai. Listen to me. Remember us. Your friends, your brothers. You're not with the Shredder now. We want to help you. Focus, please."

She watches him for a minute before wrapping her tail around his leg and throws him into the wall. I watch as he falls to the ground and rubs the back of his head. I want to help, I really do; but, I know that if I move a lot or make a lot of noise, she'll attack me. I try to think of something I can do when I hear more footsteps come toward Uncle Donnie's lab.

"What's going on in here?" Uncle Raph demands when he walks through the doorway, his weapons in his hands. Grandfather is right behind him.

Mommy looks at them, hissing loudly. She sprays something from her mouth at Grandfather. He dodges it quickly, letting the liquid hit the wall behind him. Uncle Raph spins his weapons and stands differently. I panick. I have seen a lot of the mean people at the Bad Place stand kind of like that when they were fighting Mommy.

"NO!" I yell. This isn't her fault! When we were in the Room, Mom always felt bad after she went back to normal. She doesn't mean to hurt people; but she can't help it.

Mommy turns around and looks at me. Her eyes are different. They look dangerous, but scared. She quickly comes toward me. I want to run away and hide; but I don't move. I stand still as she comes my way as she continues to hiss dangerously.

"Leonardo! Move!" I hear Grandfather cry out. Even though a sharp pain goes through my heart, I disobey him. I don't like not following his or Mom's orders, but they don't understand what to do.

I feel Mom's tail curl around my body and give a small squeeze. I bite my tongue, trying to keep myself from freaking out. I try to clear my mind a little and take small but even breaths. I look into my mother's eyes, trying my best to let her know I won't hurt her. Out of the corner of my eye, I see everyone standing still. _Good,_ I think to myself.

"Donnie-" I hear Raph start quietly.

Donnie shushes him. "Leo," he says quietly, "has this happen before?"

I give the smallest nod I can make. I feel Mommy's grip tighten on me and I bite my tongue harder. I look at Uncle Donnie to see him slowly and cautiously lead everyone towards the door. Even though I knew what he was planning and thought it was for the best and safer for everyone, it caused fear to swirl inside of me.

"Do you know what to do?" he asks.

I again give a small nod as Mom's grip tightens ever so slightly.

"Donnie, what the heck are you doing?!" Uncle Raph whispers loudly; I have to move a bit so my mom's attention would rest on me and not my angry uncle. Deep down, I know she won't hurt me.

"Leo went through this before. He knows what he's doing. I trust him," Donnie replies quietly.

I hear my grandfather whisper "We will be right outside, Leonardo," before I hear the door shut and realize I am alone with my mom. I continue to look into her eyes, waiting for something familiar to flash in her eyes. After a few moments, I close my eyes and try to clear my head. I feel my breathing became slightly more steady and even and my limbs go limp. I try not to focus on my mom's piercing eyes that I know are watching me.

This happens for a couple minutes before I feel my mom slowly lower me to the ground. I open my eyes as I watch her give me a bit of space, but never removing her gaze from me. I slowly bend forward to bow, showing her I mean no harm. I keep watching for her reaction, expecting anything to happen.

She gives me a small nod before sliding to the other side of the room. I let out a small sigh. She trusts me. Now, all I need to do is wait for her to turn back to normal. I sit down and lean my back against the wall for a few minutes and close my eyes. I can't help but think of how Uncle Donnie said he trusts me. I felt a small smile cross my face at the memory. Maybe everything will get better now.

Of course, as soon as I think that, I open my eyes and see something that causes me to gasp. I stare at it, not believing it. I slowly get up and walk over to it, not even daring myself to blink in case it changes. I pull it up close to get a better look at it, wishing it wasn't here.

It was a picture of the girl with the orange hair. The girl who attacked me in my dream. The HUMAN girl. The nightmare flashes again in my mind. She was trying to hurt me, bite me even. Why was there a picture of her in Uncle Donnie's lab? Is he friends with her? Are they really going to hurt us instead of help us? The thought causes me to gasp and drop the picture, letting it shatter to the ground.

"Leo!"

"What's going on?"

"Everything okay?"

At the sound of their cries, my mom moves again. When I realize she's moving towards the door, I run after her. Whether they are really our friends or not, I can't let mom hurt them. However, when I get close, her tail smacks me back. I fall to the ground and the air is forced out of my lungs as my head smacks against the floor.

"Leo, if you don't answer, I'm opening the door," I hear Uncle Raph say. There are quieter voices also, but I can't make out the words.

I lean up to see my mom standing in front of me, almost as if threatening the door and/or protecting me. I get my breathing back in order before clearing my throat.

"I'm okay," I finally say. "You guys just scared her."

"We heard something fall," I hear Uncle Donnie say.

"Umm," I start, looking at the shattered picture on the ground. Even though I definitely know that is the same girl from my dream, her eyes are a little different. In my dream, her eyes are completely white; but in the picture, she her eyes are blue. I swallow before continuing. "I just dropped something."

"Are you alright?" my grandfather asks.

I nod, even though I know he can't see me. "Yeah, I think so." I look at my mom. She seems to be slightly more relaxed then before and she's not hissing out anymore. She slithers to the other side of the Lab quietly. "I think Mom is going to change back pretty soon."

"Okay, we will be right here when she does, Little Dude," Uncle Mikey says.

I nod, sitting down again and leaning my back against the wall like earlier. I decide to look at my feet in front of me, tired of seeing the scary tools and the picture. I cross my arms over my chest and start to think about everything that has happened and who I can trust.

It's not too much longer when I hear my mother come towards me. I look up at her and let out a sigh of relief. Her eyes are familiar. I stand up and run over to hug her tightly.

"I'm sorry," I hear her whisper.

"It's okay," I say, looking up and giving her a smile before I turn serious. "Mom, do you remember my dream from earlier?"

She watches me for a minute, trying to remember. After a few seconds, she gives me a small nod. "Yes, I think so."

I lead her to the broken picture on the ground. I don't pick it up due to the broken glass, but I stand by it and point at it. She looks between me and the picture before carefully picking it up. After a few moments she lets out a chuckle.

"Sorry, Leonardo," she says after she sees my very confused face. "I believe your uncles can explain."

"Do you know her?" I ask.

She gives a small nod. "Yes, from a long time ago. I know you dreamt of her attacking you, but she truly is a good person."

"How? Why would she attack me if she's a good guy?"

She simply shrugs. "I'm not the person you should ask." She looks at the door. "It's okay now. You can come in."

I look towards the door when I hear it carefully opening. As my uncles and grandfather entered, I watch them watch my mom cautiously while looking around the room. I feel my mom hand me the picture of the girl, silently telling me to ask them. I look down at the picture of the girl smiling. I admit, she seems pretty different from the girl that attacked me in my dream.

"You're not going to attack us, are you, Miwa?" Uncle Mikey says, sounding kind of nervous but he has a smile on his face.

Mom chuckles. "I'm all good, now, Mikey."

"What has happened, my daughter?" Grandfather asks after helping Uncle Donnie pick some stuff up that has fallen to the floor.

Mom looks down at her hands. "I still lose my mind and become more snake than human. Stockman gave me something that fixes it temporarily; the chemical must have ran through its course."

"And without taking anymore of the chemical, you'll start to lose your mind more and more," Uncle Donnie says, starting to understand.

"Yes."

"And you didn't tell us this before because…?" Uncle Raph asks.

She gives him a small glare. "Sorry, I guess I forgot to say anything because I was running away from the Shredder, catching up with the family I didn't have for most of my life, and caring for my sick son."

"Enough!"Grandfather says angrily, obviously annoyed at them arguing. He turns to Donnie. "Donatello, can you create something to allow Miwa's memory to stay with her permanently?"

Uncle Donnie opens his mouth to answer before he notices the picture in my hand. "Umm, what do you have there, Leo?"

I look down at the picture, gathering up courage. I raise the picture and face it toward my uncle. "Why do you have the picture of the girl that attacked me?"

"Attacked you?" Mikey asks.

I look at him. "The dream I had. She was there and she tried to attack me."

"The Chimera was also in his dream," Uncle Donnie tells him. "The fish, bird, and worm mutant." He looks at me. "Leo, I know this sounds weird and confusing, but she is our friend and has even helped and protected us a lot in the past. Where her eyes completely white in your dream?"

I nod.

"I think the Chimera must have done something to her mind to make her attack you; kind of like how your mom attacked us without really wanting to hurt us," Donnie explains.

I look at my mom and then down at the picture, thinking it over. "But," I start, "she's one of them."

"You mean a human?" Uncle Raph asks.

I give him a nod. "How is she your friend when she is a 'human?'"

"Leonardo," Grandfather says, coming up to me and putting a hand on my shoulder while kneeling down so we are eye level, "Not all humans are as cruel as the Shredder and his allies. In fact, many mutants have started out as humans before being transformed. April is one of the few human friends we have, and she has helped us through many difficulties. Do you understand, my grandson?"

I look at him for a moment. I guess I kind of do. After all, the Smart Guy is a mutant and he is mean. Even though the thought of humans still send a shiver through me, I give him a nod before handing him the picture. He takes it with a smile and gives it to Uncle Donnie. He looks at it with a small smile before putting it on the cabinet.

"Michelangelo," Master Splinter says, "take Miwa and Leonardo to the living room; I believe they both deserve some rest. Raphael, help Donatello clean the broken glass. I would like to speak to Donatello on a solution to Miwa's current situation."

We all nod before going to do what we were told. I lean against Mom as we follow Uncle Mikey to the living room. I have to admit that I am a bit tired; however, I'm also nervous. Since Mommy doesn't have the medicine that makes her better, what if she really hurts someone? What if I lose Mommy forever? No! That won't happen. I won't let it. I'll protect Mommy and I won't give up on her; besides, I don't think my uncles or grandfather will either.

I think life got a little weirder than before. But I think it's a good weird.

 **(Donatello's P.O.V)**

I lean up against the Lab door. I have just finished explaining to Master Splinter that I can probably fix Miwa's mind, but it will take time. I will also fall behind on trying to make a cure for Leo again! I let out a groan and go over to my equipment.

I know the others can't really do anything and if they could, they would do it in a heartbeat, but I feel like everything is being pushed on me. Especially since everyone is so impatient or I am in a rush; it just makes it so much more stressful. I put my hands on my hips, mentally going through everything I need to do to get started on my new project. I take a seat in my chair and get started. I can already tell tonight is going to be a long night.

I smile as I can practically hear Leo telling me to go to bed or to only be a few more minutes. He always made sure I took a break from my work to make sure I ate food, rested, or relaxed and watched a movie or something. I guess I get so into my experiments and projects that I simply loose track of time and forget about the world around me. Kind of like when you are daydreaming, or reading a good book, or even watching a good movie; you get so into it that you don't pay attention to anyone else around you.

Hours start to pass by before I realize how late it is getting; but I can't stop. I am so close to the answer! I can feel it! (Of course, I can't be too sure since I have never actually done anything like this before.) I rub my eyes before putting a couple drops of a chemical into another. I take notes of the results before a soft beeping interrupts my thoughts. I smile at the noise and go to my computer, clicking a few buttons.

"Hey, April."

April appears on my screen, giving me a warm smile. She's in her dorm, sitting on her bed by the looks of it. She's wearing a yellow T-shirt with the name of a band on it. Her hair is in a braid that hangs over her shoulder while a yellow head band holds her bangs back.

"Hey, Donnie!"

"Nice necklace," I say, smirking. I just now notice her turtle necklace.

She chuckles. "I just happen to like turtles. You could even say they have a BIG influence on my life."

I laugh. "I like what you did with your hair."

"Thanks." She starts playing with her hair. "I might get it cut again but I'm not sure. I do enjoy playing with it."

"So how's college going?"

"Very good; doing very well in my classes. Actually, I'm going on my break and heading back to New York."

It takes me to remember her telling me a couple weeks ago on how break was coming up really soon. I guess I kind of forgot since then. "So you are going to come visit us?" I ask, picturing Leo freaking out at the sight of an actually human; after all, he freaked out over a picture of one.

"Well, of course! You guys are family!" She pauses before narrowing her eyes slightly. "Donnie, what happened? You have that look on your face."

"What look?" I ask. "I have a look?"

"The look you have when something is wrong or going to go wrong. Now start explaining."

I bite my cheek before letting out a sigh. She was going to figure out soon anyway. So I explain to her everything. I tell her how Raph called me and told me he was chasing down the Foot. I tell her how we meet Miwa and Leo. I tell her how Leo ended up this way. I tell her how Leo got sick and now how Miwa is losing her mind all over again. By the end of the story, April's eyes are big. Once she realizes I'm done, she blinks and swallows hard and gives slow nods.

"Okay," she says slowly. It didn't take long before she gave me a look of determination and says "I'll tell you when I get home. The day after that, I'm visiting the Lair."

I can't help but smile at the look on her face and how her voice sounds motherly. "Alright."

"Does Casey know?" she asks.

I mentally growl at her mentioning his name. It has been pretty obvious that both me and Casey like her more than just a friend. However, she left before giving a hint on who she liked more or if she had any feelings for us at all.

"I don't think so; unless Raph told him something. Although, knowing him, he will be down here in the Lair in no time."

She nods. "Then I would probably tell him." She gives me a smile. "I should probably get ready to going back to New York."

I smile. "Yeah that would probably be good. It's good to hear from you, April."

"And you too. And Donnie?"

"Yeah?"

"Get some sleep."

I laugh. "Will do. See you soon, April."

"See you then," she tells me with a warm smile. Seconds later, my computer turns off.

I continue smiling at the screen. Finally, I turn it off and do what April commanded. After all, how can I work on helping Miwa if I am dead on my feet. I take off my gear and my mask. I put my weapon by my bed. We always keep our weapons close for safety reasons. I hope on my bed and close my eyes, allowing sleep to take me.

 **A/N: *sarcastically* Yay, April's here…*sees some glares from the readers* I mean, YAY April's here! Sorry if the ending was rushed, but I'm tired/brain-dead and I feel like I have worked on this chapter FOREVER! Does the dream sound familiar slightly? It was based off of "Eyes of the Chimera" which means Leo is dreaming of memories (with sometimes an added bonus because it's still a dream, like the Shredder being there when he wasn't really in that episode.) Also, when Miwa was holding Leo, I pictured Leo meditating without him fully realizing it. Lastly, if you guys have any ideas on what college April is going to or what she is learning to be let me know because I have nothing lol (or any other ideas ;) ). Review, favorite, and blah blah blah… (Hopefully I can update next week...hopefully ;) )**

 **:) :) :)**


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Sorry if this chapter is bad! I had a really hard time with this chapter for some reason so it may not be the best. However, the next chapter contains action and feels so just wait a bit longer ;). Also, yay for tmnt being back! I wasn't able to watch the episode yet because I was shopping but hopefully I can watch it on YouTube or Nick or something… (I also learned David Tennant plays the Fugitoid when he comes into this tmnt universe and I totally freaked out! For all of you who don't know, David was on Doctor Who :D!)

 **Review Replies for Ch. 12**

 **Insanity21:** ***puts you back together* Glad you loved the chapter! Yes, him dreaming memories is usually a every night thing. Sometimes I'm nice enough to let him have a peaceful night...or I'll just give him a nightmare }:). And this chapter has Casey in it...but again, this chapter isn't the best...but good ones will come soon! :) :) :)**

 **DP fanboy:** ***blinks* I didn't think of that… I'll have to change up some of my plans lol! Why couldn't they have thought of that during the series! That would make life so much simpler for them and they would have Miwa/Karai on their side! Anyway, I'll add something like that in later chapters. Thank you so much for the idea! :) :) :)**

 **BubblyShell22:** **Thank you so much for your reviews! I decided to just answer them all in this. First off, thank you for complimenting my story! It really helps. Yes, Mikey is bonding real well with Leo. I think he likes being the older brother for once ;). And yes, Raph usually talks to Slash or Casey when he just needs to talk to someone. Him, along with everyone else, is starting to get use to/comfortable with little Leo. Hopefully Donnie can fix Miwa or come up with something to fix her. Thanks again for reviewing! :) :) :)**

 **Sairey13:** **The only thing against that is I don't know who April should be with! If it's Casey and April, I feel bad for Donnie! If it's the other way around, I kind of feel bad for Casey! So...we will see what I do ;P. That's kind of what I pictured April doing. Like being a scientists, Biologists, or a veterinarian like you said. I also pictured her being a doctor… And yeah, I'm kind of stressing out Donnie }:). I feel like Donnie would be under a lot of pressure (in this stories and in just TMNT) because he is the only one that knows all that information. Also, it's mentioned a bit in this chapter, but I just imagined Donnie telling his Mikey, Raph, and Master Splinter all about his memories and him calling them his brothers; however, I don't think I'll actually write him telling them. As for Leo's memories possibly coming back...you'll have to wait to learn more information };). Thanks for the review! :) :) ;)**

 **efarraiz:** **(I'm hoping you are able to speak/read English since you were able to read this story. I only took two semesters of Spanish so far so I don't know a lot. So, I'm using Google Translate ;) If it doesn't make any sense or anything, Lo siento mucho [I know that! ;) ] )** **Estaba pensando abril haría algo entre las líneas de la ciencia o la tecnología , yo no sé lo que su objetivo es exaclty . Tengo dificultades para comprender su mensaje ( incluso con la ayuda de Google Translate ... ), pero muchas gracias por sus comentarios ! Significa mucho!**

 **musicaloc:** **Oh! I didn't think about her being a reporter! Maybe that will be her like part time job! I like that idea :). I could see her as some scientist, biologist, veterinarian, or something with technology. Thank you for your help and ideas! :) :) :)**

 **Disclaimer: I feel like I have been slacking on this...oops. Nope, don't own them! I just have these stories that I torture them in }:)**

Miwa's P.O.V

After my little "episode" yesterday, everyone is on edge. Donnie has been working in his lab for most of the day, Mikey doesn't appear as carefree as normal, Raph is keeping an eye on me from the distance, and my father has been spending more time with me than meditating or doing other stuff. Even Leo won't leave my side and will keep looking me over. I feel like I'm under a microscope, surrounded by scientists who want to get a good look.

I took a sip of my tea. Father offered some tea to calm both our nerves earlier and I gladly accepted. I watch Leo playing with his elephant, Kino, on the floor. Mikey comes over, holding a can of soda. He watches Leo play for a minute before a smile crosses his face and he takes off again. Hearing Mikey's footsteps, Leo looks up to see his running form before shrugging and going back to his toy. I smile at how comfortable Leo is becoming here.

It's not minutes later before Mikey comes running back in, a huge box in his hands. All three of us look at him with curiosity as he sits down next to my son. I watch with a smile as Mikey pulls out a couple toys that he and his brothers must have played with as children. A smile grows on Leo's face as Mikey grabs a teddy bear wrapped in duct tape and an iguana with a top hat.

"Perhaps we should go to a place more quiet and peaceful?" my father asks me quietly as Leo's and Mikey's voice start to get louder.

I chuckle slightly and give a small nod. Even though I would love to watch Leonardo play with some of his toys with his uncle, I knew Leo needs to gain a bit of freedom and get use to me not always being right beside him. I grab my cup of tea as I follow my father to the Dojo. He pulls out the same small table we sat at when he told me his relationship between him and the Shredder. I sit down quietly with Master Splinter and we start to drink our tea once again.

"Donatello told me of his trip back with Leonardo. He told me Leonardo has grown a fear of heights."

I mentally growl at the Shredder. Fearing I will lose control, I take another sip of tea. "Yes; sometimes when I would pass out due to exhaustion or whatever chemical Stockman gave me, the Shredder would take Leonardo. I woke up one day to have Leonardo thrown into the room. He held me tight and wouldn't stop shaking. He hasn't told me what exactly happened, but I hope one day he will."

My father nods. "Experiences like this will take time to recover from."

"I know," I say, taking another sip of tea, "but I don't like it. It wouldn't have been better if we never had to experience it at all."

If I wasn't a ninja and aware of almost everything, I probably wouldn't have seen the flicker of sadness in my father's eyes. My eyes widen as I realize what I have said. I think he feels bad for not rescuing us. It's not his fault though. Even if he knew Leonardo and I were in the hands of the Shredder, he and the others would have probably been killed. It is much better to have everyone alive.

"I'm sorry," I say, apologizing for the anger I allowed to slip. "It wasn't your fault."

"I know," he says quietly, looking down at his tea. "The fault is Shredder's. Hopefully, we will finally stop him one day."

"I know we will," I say confidently, giving Master Splinter a knowing smile.

"Hey, guys!"

I immediately tense up at the voice. It sounded slightly familiar, but I know it isn't my son's, my brothers', nor my father's. Just as the voice booms throughout the Lair, my son comes running through the Dojo doors toward me. The scared look on his face has me standing up, opening my arms out for him to run into.

"Leonardo, what has happened?" my father asks before I can.

"There's a human in here!" he says quickly.

Before I have a chance to open my mouth, Master Splinter walks through the Dojo doors cautiously. He sticks his head out of the doors and voices enter the room. I can't hear what they are saying, though I can hear Raph's and Mikey's voice. He comes back with a small amused smile on his face.

"Miwa," he says, "do you remember Casey Jones?"

I look at him for a minute, trying to remember the name and the face that went with it. "Maybe. I think he was there with the turtles were trying to change me back."

He nods. "Yes. He is the human that has scared Leonardo. Apparently, none of your brothers have informed him of what has currently happened."

I can't help but smirk at the trouble my brothers have already caused. Not only that, but judging by the smile on my father's face, he is going to give them a long training session.

He kneels down in front of me and Leo. "My grandchild, there is nothing to fear."

Leo turns his head towards Master Splinter. "But he's a human! They're mean! He could hurt us!"

"Leo," I interrupt him before he can say anymore. I turn his head so he can look up at me. "Remember how we told you yesterday that not all evil?"

His eyes look down and he bites his lip. I let out a small sigh and hold him a bit tighter. "It's okay to be afraid," I continue. "It will be hard to get use to friendly humans, but you need to trust us, okay? I promise not to let you out of my sight unless you are comfortable around him or if you are with uncles or granfather."

He looks into my eyes, seeing if I was honest. I decide to give him a small, confident smile, hoping he could get enough courage to conquer one of his fears. He gives me a small nod as his grip around me tightens. I give my father a victory smile as we slowly get close to the doors. Before he is able to open them, I put one of my hands on his shoulder. I try to silently tell my father to stay close. Like Leonardo, the only humans I have seen in years were the cause of my pain or my son's. Who knows how I will react or if I will loose control? I think he understands because he gives me a small nod before opening the doors.

When we get to the main room, I see Mikey, Raph, and I assume Casey Jones. He looks a bit different from the last time I have seen him all those years ago. He is taller and has a bit more muscle than last time. He also had his hair grown out pretty long. I couldn't help but smile in amusement at Mikey and Raph yelling at him for barging in and giving Leo a heart attack. It's obvious the Casey was confused and didn't understand what was going on, but it simply made the scene more amusing.

The more I look at Casey, the more I feel my jaw and muscles tighten. Memories of being tortured by humans and the Shredder fill my vision. Humans (or robots that look like humans) hurting me. Making me lie on the cold floor for days. Helping Stockman give me whatever experiment he could give me. Taking my son in the middle of the night to return him hurt and scared. I didn't snap out of it until I felt a furry hand rest on my shoulder. I turn to see Master Splinter looking at me with concern. I swallow hard, getting the memories out of my head, before giving him a nod, silently telling him I'm okay. I look down and realize Leo's shaking, probably seeing and thinking the same thing I was. I put my hand on his back and rub it comfortingly, trying to bring him back to the present. He blinks a few times, but doesn't take his eyes off of Casey. I don't blame him.

Master Splinter clears his throat and all three boys turn to look at him. "I simply wanted to inform you that Miwa and Leonardo are alright and will be either in the Dojo or in Donatello's lab until Casey leaves. Also, it is a pleasure to see you again, Casey." With those words, he simply turns around and walks back into the Dojo.

Casey numbly nods before whispering something to Raph. Raph smirks before hitting him over the head. "Come on, Bonehead," he says. "Let's go to the kitchen. I'll explain everything. We have some...um...refreshments," he finishes, glancing towards Master Splinter.

Mikey chuckles as he walks over to us. He gets on his knees and looks at Leo. "You okay, Little Buddy?"

Leonardo nods but stays close to me and doesn't say anything.

Mikey looks up at me. "You good?"

I give him a nod. "We're fine. Just a bit shaken up is all."

He gives me a nod before picking up the box of toys he brought out earlier. "Here. I'll take these to the Dojo. I want to help Uncle Raphie explain to Casey all that happened over the past couple of days."

"What do you say, Leo?" I ask, looking down at my son, who was walking with me to the Dojo.

"Thank you, Uncle Mikey," he says, giving my brother a shy smile.

"No problem, Little Dude."

 **Casey's P.O.V**

After Mikey and Raph finished their story about Leo and Karai (or Miwa, now) I have my mouth open in shock. I've wished Leo would come back before; but, I never expected him to come back like this!

"Man," I whisper. "You guys had some week! How are you two holding up?"

They look at each other before giving me a shrug.

"Okay, I guess," Mikey says. "I mean, yeah, it's extremely weird. Although I'm sure Donnie can find a way to change him back."

"But first, he has to find a way to find to fix Miwa so she doesn't attack anyone anymore," Raph says, looking down at his bottle of beer. "I hate feeling so useless. I would help Donnie in a heartbeat if I could."

"Aww, your sweet, Raphie."

I turn around to find Donnie walking into the kitchen, and empty mug in his hands. "Hey there Donnie. You missed Raph and Mikey yelling at me like mother hens."

"You should have recorded it," he says with a smirk. "Well, I'm sure there will be plenty more of those moments." He turns to look at Mikey and Raph. "How's Leo and Miwa?"

"Shaken up," Mikey answers him, "but they will be fine.'

"Don't worry," I tell them, "I won't stay long."

"Actually, why did you stop by? I mean, you are always welcome; but you didn't call or anything," Raph explains.

"Well, I wanted to apologize for skipping out on you that one night; although, if I hadn't you may not have found Leo and Karai- I mean, Miwa."

His eyes widen a bit at my statement, obviously not thinking it that way.

"Also, I wanted to let you know I finally got that job at the auto repair shop so now I will have a bit more time to hang out with you."

He smiles. "Hey, congrats, Man. So you quitting your other job?"

"Yes!" I say happily. "I was getting so sick of that place that as soon as I got the promotion, I went straight over there and told the big man."

"Nice job, Casey," Donnie says, giving me a pat on the shoulder. "I'm happy for you."

"Oh great," Mikey says quietly.

"What?" Raph asks him, showing concern.

"You get to hang out with Casey more. That has trouble written ALL over it! I might have to go to the surface and save your butt!"

I laugh. "Maybe you can hang out with us sometimes and keep an eye on us."

"Yes," he says, sitting up a bit straighter. "After all, I am the responsible one."

"I hate to break it to you, Mike," Donnie interrupts, "but Master Splinter told us he wanted us to lay low for a bit, remember?"

Mikey looks at Donnie, thinking this over a bit, before pouting in his chair. "Stupid Shredder."

I chuckle at his small statement before standing up. "Well, I should probably go so I don't freak out Miwa or Leo." I pause for a minute. "Do you think I can come back before Leo turns back to normal?"

The three turtles look at each other, almost as if they were having a silent conversation. Donnie was the first one to look at me. He seems to need a few moments to think a bit more before he gives me a small smile. "I'm sure you will. Even though he has been through a lot, involving mostly humans or robots similar humans, I'm sure that if he will see that you aren't one of them."

I nod and give a small smile. "I hope you're right. I don't know what I'll do if I couldn't hang out here all the time."

It was true. Even though I meet April before the guys, they are still my best friends. Unlike some other people I have met, I know they have my back. Raph has also kind of understands me better than anyone else. The only place I could go to is home to my annoying sister or work; neither of those even compare to coming here and simply chilling.

"Don't worry, Case," Mikey says, giving me a reassuring smile. "We won't kick you out just yet."

I glare at him as Donnie says, "Actually, there is something we all need to talk about."

"And what's that, Brainiac?" Raph asks.

"April talked to me last night," that got my attention, "and said she was heading back over for break. Leo already freaked out about her after the dream he had and he and Miwa are still uncomfortable around humans?"

"What do you mean he 'freaked out about her after the dream he had?'" I ask.

"Miwa and Donnie think he is dreaming of his old life," Raph explains.

"And he dreamt of us?"

"Yeah, he dreamt the moments you and April were attacking us!" Mikey says, joyfully.

"Oh, I feel loved..."

"What I am saying is we need to get him use to humans slowly. I don't think any of us can convince April to stay home over break," Donnie says, getting us back on track. "So you should probably still come fairly often, but not really bother him."

"If he has already seen me and April in the dream, won't he, you know, stay away from us as much as possible?"

"I told him you guys are actually good; but, he will still be distant and hesitant. This means no wrestling or being jerks or any of that stuff."

I look at Raph and Mikey, giving them a raised eyebrow while they gave one back. We all turn towards Don who only rolled his eyes at us and muttered under his breath. I couldn't stop the smile on my face as he went over to get a cup of coffee. My mind started to wonder as silence started to fill the kitchen. Basically, if I screw this up, Leo will freak out every time he sees me. I have to admit, I'm nervous. I have been clumsy and messed up on small things before, but this is serious. If I mess this up, who knows when I'll be able to come back down here?

"What if I don't come back down here until you fix Leo? I mean, I never really connected with Leo when he was a teen; I don't know if I can have him fully trust me."

Donnie turns around to give me an angry look. "I'm not perfect, Casey! I don't even know if there is a way to turn Leo back!"

"Keep it down, Donnie!" Raph snaps. "We don't want Leo to get all curios again!"

"Sorry, Don. I'm just a bit worried, you know?" I say. "If I do something stupid or make the wrong move, he might never trust me enough to be in the same room as me or something."

He lets out a sigh and his shoulders relax. "I understand. Sorry for snapping."

"You've been under a lot of pressure, D. No one blames you for letting off a little steam, even if that's usually Raph's thing."

I smile when Raph smacks Mikey upside the head for his comment. It kind of feels like things are a bit normal. Mikey saying something to bother Raph and earns a good smack. Don freaking out over a new project he has going on. And me just relaxing and watching the scene. I look down at my phone before standing up.

"Well, I think I have caused enough trouble," I say, giving them a smirk. "I'll see you guys around."

"Next time, tell us when you are stopping by," Raph says with a smile, punching me friendly on the shoulder.

"Will do," I say. That was promise. Don't want to come in to see a tiny turtle looking at me with wide eyes before taking off. I also got yelled at enough today for like a week. "Talk to you guys later!"

As I hear the guys yell their good-byes before talking to each other, I began to walk down to the sewers and pull out my phone. I go through my contact to find my little sister, Angel. Even though she is often a pain, she has been helping me out a bit. She helps some of our neighbors to earn an extra cash, cleans the house after school, and some other stuff.

I send her a text saying "On my way home. Hows everything there?"

Even though she is a teenager, I'm still protective over her. After losing Dad, I wanted to keep Angel close to me, not wanting to lose anyone else. Sure, it drives her crazy, but it's better that she is mad at me rather than being dead or missing. It's not very long until I get a message back from her.

"Good. April tried calling u."

I send her a quick "Ok" before trying to reach April. I can only hope she will pick up the phone. Even though it has been years, I still like April. More than a friend-like. I also know that Donnie still likes her, too. Sometimes I wonder is April can't decide between us so she hasn't made any moves. Maybe she doesn't like either of us. Maybe that's why she left for college.

"Hello?"

I mentally sigh at the sound of her voice. "Hey! Heard you tried to call me."

"Casey! It's good to hear from you. I'm coming back to New York!"

I chuckle slightly. "Yeah, I know."

There's a pause. "Donnie tell you?"

"Yeah, he beat you to it."

She mumbles something before saying, "Did you hear about Leo?"

"Yeah," I say, rubbing the back of my head. "I kind of learned the hard way."

"Did you see him?" she asks excitedly.

"A little bit. He took off running two seconds after he saw me."

I can practically hear her nod. "How are the guys doing?"

"Pretty good. There under a lot of stress and pressure, but who can really blame them? Things are kind of weird over there."

"I can imagine," is her reply. There was a few moments of silence before she says. "I can't wait to see you, Jones."

I smile. "Same here."

"I better go, my plane's about to take off. I'll call you when I'm back in the city."

"See ya, then, Red," I say before hanging up the phone.

I let out a sigh as I climb the ladder back to the surface. First, I have to start working 24/7, then my friend returns as a kid and no past memories along with their missing sister, and then the girl I like is coming back! Life Just Got So Weird.

 **A/N: Sorry this chapter wasn't very exciting and short and again not the best! I'm trying to get myself back into writing instead of playing video games... ;P. At least Casey finally showed up, right? And, the next chapter will be big and awesome...you know...if everything works as plan ;). Review, por favor! (or PM because I like talking to you happy/fun people ;) :). )**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I'm not even going to start out slow and nice. Nope. Today, I'm immediately pulling you into the action ;) However, I want to tell you this. I have another story I'm working on (this is like, the third one I'm writing on my computer…) so it may take me a bit while to update. There is also the fact that school is starting up again so I will most likely not be able to update weekly anymore...Sorry guys. If I don't update for a while, just PM me and remind me to get in gear. But don't worry, this is a pretty big chapter so I'm sure you guys will be fine for a while, right? ;)**

 **Review replies from Chapter 15:**

 **BubblyShell22** **: Thanks :). And yeah, Leo has had a rough past with humans, but hopefully that won't affect the future...or will it? }:) *evil laugh***

 **Sairey13:** **I have actually thought about that idea with Irma. I pictured April walking down the streets and see the real Irma. That conversation would be interesting ;). I really hope Irma is still out there...I mean, sure, I thought it was interesting that she was really a Kraang, but I liked Irma! I thought she was a pretty cool character for TMNT… Also, someone else has actually mentioned something similar to April bringing back some mysteries and helping in some other ways. The only thing that would be bad about that idea is 15 year old Leo would be stuck in a kid body. Him becoming young again gives him the opportunity to enjoy life a bit more (assuming he was really protective about his brothers and focused on his training when he was originally that age.) If that makes any sense. Not only that, but if I was Leo, I would probably die of embarrassment. Haha! Anyways, I will have to think about that idea a bit!**

 **Insanity21:** **I'm glad you are enjoying this story so much! April won't come for a couple chapters I'm afraid, but, there are plenty of other characters, fluff moments, and exciting surprises that will happen until then ;)**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Thank you! Here's your update ;)**

 **LilyTheNinjaGirl:** **I'm not sure whether I like April and Casey together or April and Donnie together. I don't think I'll really have her go with anyone officially in the story, but the guys may try to get with her a bit. Also, if you don't know me, I love to hide secrets when it comes to my stories ;). Hope you enjoy this chapter ;)**

 **Disclaimer: Nope! Keep reading and you'll find something more interesting than the boring disclaimer ;).**

Master Splinter's P.O.V

I heard my daughter give a loud hiss in the living room, pulling me out of my meditation. It has been a couple hours since Casey Jones left the Lair. Last time I was in the main part of our home, everyone was calm. Donatello was collecting information from Miwa about her condition, Michelangelo was playing with some of my sons' old plush toys with Leonardo, and Raphael was watching TV. However, there is no longer a calm, peaceful feeling in our home.

I stand up and head over to the doors of the Dojo quickly; however, I stop when I hear silence. I can only hope my sons and grandson have everything under control. I stand still, listening to someone speak softly. The silence spreads for minutes until a small shadow smacks into the Dojo doors with a loud thud. I hear my sons call out "Leo!" and I don't hesitate to open the doors.

I look down to find Leonardo sitting on the ground, rubbing the back of his head with wide eyes. I sit down in front of him, concern for his well-being. He appears to be okay besides the ache in the back of his head and the shock and fear that shows in his eyes.

"Leonardo," I start, waiting for his eyes to stay on me, "what is going on?"

"I-It's Mom," he says, his voice high. I turn around to find Miwa, my daughter, fighting my sons. My sons are holding back, but my daughter is obviously not, trying her best to strike. "She started hissing," Leonardo continues, "a-and I tried talking to her a-and doing wha-what I normally do to bring her back and stuff b-but she smacked me with her-her tail. T-this ne-never happened before!"

I turn back to my obviously distressed grandson. His breathing has quickened and he keeps a hand on the back of his head. "First," I start, wanting to calm down the small child before helping my sons, "I need you to calm down. Take deep breaths with me."

"B-but, they need help! M-mom could hurt them! Or they could hurt her! Or-"

"Leonardo!" I interrupt. He cringes at my tone, but I do not back down. "Do as I do." I start to deep breaths and I watch as Leonardo tries following my example. His breathing becomes a bit more calm, but you can still hear the slight shake as he inhales and exhales. Knowing that I am running out of time, I do not push him further. "Now, she threw you into the wall?"

He nods. "My head really hurts."

"Let me see," I say urgently, hearing the sounds of battle behind me.

He swallows hard and his eyes keep glancing over my shoulder. He leans forward and his body goes tense. I decide not to ask but instead scoot over so I can look at my grandson's head as well as see the battle in front of us. Due to his body being tense, I do not touch his head. It appears to be simple bruising with a cut that was bleeding slightly. It was not serious, but I want Donatello to fix it up. "Where did Miwa hit you with her tail?" I ask, looking at the battle.

Donatello was running to his lab, leaving Michelangelo and Raphael to fight off Miwa. I can only hope my son has a plan. I could only watch as Michelangelo dodges a swipe of Miwa's tail and Raphael uses his Sai to fight off one of the mouths on Miwa's hand. They were doing their best not to hurt her (which I am very thankful for) but I fear it is not enough.

"Um," he pauses, still watching the battle, "in the chest."

I return to my original spot, once again, the battle is behind me. I follow Leo's finger to his chest. I gently reach out and put pressure on the area. I keep my eyes on his face. He is still watching the battle until his eyes close and he lets out a small hiss. I quickly remove my hands.

"It will be sore, but I believe you are not seriously injured."

He nods before his eyes widen. I feel my eyes widen as well and my ear flicks back at the sound of quick movement coming towards us. Just as I moved in front of Leonardo to protect him from whatever was behind me, I hear one of my sons yell "Master Splinter" before hearing a smack. I turn around to see Raphael standing in front of me and Leonardo. I take note that he is breathing heavily as he stares my daughter down.

"Don't hurt her!" I hear Leonardo call out. I grab him and hold him when I hear him start to run towards the fight. I am not sure what he planned on doing, but I knew he would only get in the way. He continues to struggle in my hold, but I keep my grip; it kills me a bit inside to hold him from the one he loves, but I know I have no choice.

Raphael doesn't even flinch at the sound of Leonardo's fearful voice. He twirls his Sai in his hand before assisting his brother. It was then I realize they are trying to back Miwa to Donatello's lab. My heart aches to assist them in their battle, but the turtle in my arms remind me I must stay here. I am sure my grandson would not hesitate to try once again to calm his mother.

Miwa lunges at Michelangelo, her hands wide open to strike him. My son raises his Nunchaku so the teeth on his sister's hands sink into the wooden handles; however, now Miwa is pushing all her weight on my son, trying to bite him with her mouth. Raphael calls my daughter's name, even the name the Shredder has given her, but she does not respond. Wanting to get her attention, he jumps by her, letting his sigh scrape her hard skin. The scratch was minor and wasn't very deep; however, as it started bleeding, Leonardo started to panic again.

I'm about to comfort him when I finally see Donatello come out of his lab, a syringe holding some type of chemical in his hands. I ignore Leonardo's struggles as I watch the scene in front of me carefully. Miwa has gotten off of Michelangelo (who still laid on the floor but didn't appear injured) and is now watching Raphael carefully, ready to attack again. Raphael stays in a defensive stance as Donatello stealthily sneaks up behind my daughter. Before Miwa can attack, my son plunges the syringe in her neck and allows the continents to flow into her bloodstream. She lashes out in panic, tearing my old heart more. It was only mere seconds before she finally collapse.

"YOU KILLED HER!"

I look down at Leonardo, tears flowing down his cheeks. I know for a fact that my sons would never kill Miwa; but, apparently it appeared that way for the small child. I open my mouth to tell him he was mistaken when he twists out of my grip with strength I didn't know he possessed. His eyes hold hurt and pain as he looks between me, his uncles, and his mother.

He screams out "YOU HURT HER!" before running away. I stand up at the sound of a door slam. Not any door, but Leonardo's room. My son's room before he was taken away from me. A part of me wonder if he ran in there because that is where Leonardo would go when he was upset all those years ago. I let out a heartbroken sigh to look at my sons, hurt written on their faces.

"Michelangelo," I say quietly, "go check on Leonardo. He has been through a lot in one day." He gives me a nod before quickly walking down the hallway towards Leonardo's room. I turn my gaze back towards my other sons who held Miwa's body so she wouldn't fall to the ground. "Donatello, is there a place where we can put Miwa until she wakes up?"

He nods and gestures towards his lab. I follow my two sons to Donatello's lab. They sit my daughter on a small cot we got years ago. I stand by her, putting my hand on her head. It appears fate tries to take her away every time we get so close.

"So, what's the update, Donnie," Raphael asks, his arms crossed on his chest.

"The process is going a lot faster than I expected," my son replies, looking through some of his equipment. "I'm guessing it has never gone this far due to her not listening to Leo and Leo freaking out. I guess Stockman gave her that temporary antidote before it went this far."

"Are you able to make a copy of the antidote?" I can't help but ask my son.

Donatello thinks a minute. "If I had the antidote Stockman gives her, I could make a copy. I could also maybe modify it so it works permanently. In fact, he probably has been working on a permanent cure. If I'm able to take his notes or any research he has done, I could maybe complete it."

"Good job. You said his name right twice!" Raphael tells his brother with a smirk.

"Thank you; I try."

"We will have to return to Shredder's Lair to cure Miwa," I conclude, ignoring their comments on the evil scientist's name.

Donatello nods. "The only thing is we will have to leave Leo here and someone will have to make sure Miwa doesn't do anything while we are gone."

I nod. "We will discuss this more tomorrow."

I guess my sons decide I need to be alone, because they both exit the room, talking to each other quietly. I do not try to hear their words; instead, I look down at my daughter again. Even as a mutant, she looked peaceful as she slept. I can't help but remember the day she was first changed into a mutant. Her laying here after her latest "episode" as Donatello calls it, simply appears so similar.

Just like back then, holding her like this also reminds me of holding Teng Shen after she died to Oroku Saki. I cannot stop the shiver that passes through me as I remember the fire and the pain both physically and emotionally. I shut out the memory as I rub my hand on her forehead again.

"I will not allow Saki to destroy this family anymore than he already has, my daughter," I quietly vow.

I let out a small sigh as I leave Donatello's lab. Closing the door to the Lab and making my way back to the Dojo, I start to plan for the day me and my sons break into Saki's lair again. I can only pray this will be the last time.

 **(A/N: Just when you thought I couldn't torture them anymore… Oh! Don't worry, this isn't the end! I just decided to add that comment ;). )**

Michelangelo's P.O.V

I stand in front of Leo's door, hearing Master Splinter and my bros taking Miwa to the Lab. I remember coming into Leo's room with Raph and Donnie a bit after we lost Leo. We told stories about him, went through some of his stuff, and cleaned his room. We really didn't do much to it. We didn't want to. I don't exactly remember the last time I was in my brother's room, but I know it has been a long time.

Out of old habits, I knock on the door. After not hearing anything, I start asking him if I can come in. I put my head to the door after getting no response, trying to hear Leo through the door. I only hear small sniffs from someone crying. Little Leo crying pulls on my heart strings and I slowly and cautiously open the door.

When I open the door, I notice the room looks just like I remember. The bed is perfectly made from the last time me or my bros camped in Leo's room. The rug on the floor seems to be in the exact middle of the room. His desk and dresser have a few objects but, like the shelves, are organized and neat. However, one difference is the dresser not being pressed against the wall. As I get closer to investigate, the sniffs and crying gets louder. I look behind the dresser to see the little turtle looking up at me with tear-filled eyes.

"Did you push the dresser yourself?" I can't help but ask. I might as well get his mind off of stuff anyway.

He looks at the dresser in front of him, looking as if he hasn't fully realized that he has moved it. He doesn't answer my question; instead, he wraps his arms around his legs with what little space he has and sits his chin on his knees, staring at the back of the dresser.

I let out a small sigh. "Mind if I sit here?" I ask, gesturing the empty space besides him. He doesn't say anything, but I can see his head move in the smallest nod in history. I have to carefully move the dresser out more so I can squeeze in before crawling between it and the wall. I put my back to the wall and actually move the dresser more as I bend my knees like Leo. He doesn't move. Just, sits there and stares at the back of the dresser. I let silence fill the room as I try to think of something to say. Not really sure how to start off, I decide to wing it.

"You know we didn't kill your mom right?" I say. The was one thing I feared when he screamed and ran out of the room. I didn't want him to look at us with fear as if we were the Shredder. Honestly, I don't know if we really have killed anyone. Sure, after a few runs with the Foot and Purple Dragons and all that, their may have been some difficult times. We do our best not to ever take a life. If we ever have, I don't think we ever realized it. (I see Raph maybe doing that a couple times when he is on an anger rage thing. If he has, he never told us about it.)

Leo takes in and lets out a shaky breath, more tears starting to pool in his eyes. "I-I know you didn't." He lets out a sob and tries to rub his eyes quickly. "I hate crying."

I can't help but smile at that. I remember years ago, before Master Splinter let us to the surface, me and Leo went out exploring in the tunnels. One day, he took a nasty fall and seriously sprained his ankle. He tried to hide his tears from me when I finally found a safe way to get down to him. I remember asking him if he was okay. He told me he was fine, but I could tell he was in pain from his voice. Being little, I bluntly told him he was crying and crying usually means something bad. I remember him chuckling a bit before saying quietly "I hate crying." Of course, Master Splinter finally found us and fixed Leo's ankle with a little help from Donnie.

I start to rub Leo's shell as more tears fall down his cheeks. Not being able to hold it back anymore, he puts his face in his hands and starts sobbing. I slowly pull Leo towards me and he doesn't fight it, letting his face cry on my plastron. I continue to rub his shell and hold him close, just like Leo used to when we were both younger.

"She didn't recognize me," he cries, finally opening up. "What if I lose her? What if she starts to hurt people?"

"Hey, hey, it's okay," I say before he can say anything more. "Donnie is going to help your mom and she's going to be back to normal before you know."

"Will you hurt her?"

I think about the question carefully. "We will do everything we can not to hurt her; but you have seen how crazy she has been."

He nods before looking up at me again quickly. "If she hurts you, she doesn't mean it! She's always sad and mad at herself when she turns back to normal."

"I know she doesn't," I say with a kind smile. "She has no control over her actions when she is like that."

He lets out a shaky sigh before burying himself in my chest further. "I don't want to lose my mom."

"And you won't," I say reassuringly. I hold him close and I sit with him quietly, not sure what else to say or do. Truthfully, I think this whole thing has scared him. The people he loves attacked each other and it probably brought up some bad memories.

"Did you want to go do something?" I ask hesitantly, feeling slightly weird simply sitting here. I don't think I sat still this long except maybe the one time I was winning a very intense game.

I hear Leo sniff a little. "Is it okay if we sit here for a bit?"

I quickly give him a reassuring nod as I shift into a more comfortable position. "Yeah, no problem."

There is a small pause as he rubs his eyes again. "Sorry I ran off."

I shake my head, even though I'm not sure he sees or feels it. "Nah, it's all good. A lot has happened the past couple of days."

I feel him nod as he moves a bit to get more comfortable. "What room is this?"

"It's my brother's room."

"The one who is missing?"

"Yeah," I answer simply.

"Oh."

We sit in silence for a couple more minutes, only hearing the sound of the others talking and Leo sniffing a bit. The more I sit here, listening to Leo's breathing, I feel my eyes get heavy. Before long, I realize that Leo has fallen asleep in my arms. I try to stretch out my neck to look at the small clock on Leo's desk, but I can't see it and I don't want to get up and wake Leo. He probably needs some sleep. Actually, it feels really comfortable right here…

"Michelangelo!"

My eyes snap open at the sound of the sharp whisper. I look around, remembering I am in Leo's room with a small turtle in my arms, and see my father peeking his head around the dresser, looking at me. I guess I fell asleep while holding Leo. I free one of my hands and rub the rest of the sleep from my eyes.

"Hi Master Splinter," I say with a grin.

He gives me a small smile, obviously making the connection on what happened. "We are going to be having dinner soon. We also need to speak about Miwa's current situation."

I nod, looking down at the small child in my arms. "We will be there in a minute."

He returns the nod with his own and walks away. After I hear the door shut behind him, I start to move my arms, waking the small turtle. Leo lifts his head with a start, looking around quickly as if unsure where he is. It didn't last more than a few minutes before his big blue eyes met my own. I give him a reassuring smile.

"Hello again," I say.

He yawn and rubs his eyes. "Hi," he greets me quietly.

"Master Splinter says it's time for dinner."

"Okay." He carefully gets off my lab and heads for the door. He stops in the middle, though, and turns back towards me. "Is Mom going to eat with us?"

I hesitate with my answer. After today's episode, I don't know how far gone Miwa actually is. Although, I really hope she's back and can eat dinner with us as a family once again. I swallow as I continue to look at his hopeful eyes.

"I don't know," I say honestly. "We will have to see."

I see the hope die a little in his eyes and his head bend down a bit. I walk over (after putting the dresser back against the wall) and put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "Come on, let's go downstairs and get some dinner. I think your uncles, Master Splinter, and I need to have an adult talk, too."

"Okay," he replies quietly, walking towards the kitchen with me at his side.

When we make it to the kitchen, I find Donnie at the stove with a box of macaroni and cheese beside him. Ever since Master Splinter allowed us to make food in the kitchen ourselves, we have all agreed that I would be the chief in the house. I love to cook and do it so much better than my brothers. Leo can't cook, Raph doesn't like to cook (sometimes I can convince him to cook for us) and Donnie either gets impatient or manages to hurt himself somehow; although, Donnie is the second best chief out of my bros.

Raph was finishing up some hot dogs and cutting one up. I figure it's for Leo (maybe even Miwa…) since we are getting him to eat more and more food SLOWLY. Master Splinter just finished pouring himself some tea and is now sitting at the table, greeting us with a smile before he gives his tea a soft blow and taking a sip. I give him a smile back as I led Leo to the table for him to talk a sit.

"Before you sit down, Leonardo," Master Splinter says, stopping both me and Leo. "I would like you to pick up any toys in the main room for me. I need to speak to your uncles in private before we eat."

Leo looks up at me before looking back at Splinter. He nods and gives a quiet "okay," before out of the kitchen. I really don't think Sensei cares about the toys; I think it was just an excuse so we can talk about Miwa.

"So how is she?" I ask after a while, knowing that they will know who "she" is.

"She's unconscious for now," Donnie answers. "I'm not sure how long she will rest or how she will be when she wakes up."

"Donatello believes he can make a cure if he is able to look at Baxter Stockman's notes," Master Splinter explains.

I can't help but groan at the thought of breaking into the Shredder's Lair again. It wasn't my most favorite thing to do in the world. "What if April can do that mind thingie she does to fix Miwa?"

"The only problem with that is April might not get here in time. It's been awhile since she used her telepathic abilities, so who knows how April or Miwa will react," Donnie says.

"Oh come on, Don." Raph turns to him with a smirk. "She's in college. I'm sure she has used her mind powers at least once to get a good grade on a test or something."

Donnie answers him with a glare before turning back to me. "None of us want to go to the Shredder's Lair, Mikey. However, it may be our only answer. I don't really want to have to wait any longer to give her the life that was taken away from her." As he finishes talking, I saw his eyes flicker to Master Splinter and the main room. I know what he's trying to silently say. Ever since we learned our Sensei's daughter was alive out there, we wanted to bring her back to make our father happy. Not only that, but getting his daughter ripped away from him more than once can really put a toll on our father's heart. There is also Leo. That little turtle is afraid he is losing his mom. Who knows how he will react if we don't bring Miwa back to normal soon?

I let out a sigh and give a nod. "Yeah, okay, I guess. But when April gets here, I still think we should have her try."

D smiles. "Okay. I'll ask her when I get to talk to her again and maybe she can as soon as she gets here."

"Until then, our next goal is to receive Baxter Stockman's notes," Splinter says seriously. "We can only hope he has sent forces to look for Miwa and Leonardo, causing his Lair to be more vulnerable and his men distracted."

All three of us nod before Raph speaks up.

"What do we do about Leo?" he asks. "We can't leave him here by himself and we can't take him with us."

"Not only that," Donnie adds, "but we can't leave Miwa here alone, too. If she loses it again, someone will have to be here with her."

An idea forms in my head and my mouth spreads into a smile. "Guys," I say, causing them to look up at me. "I know exactly what we need to do." Their faces turn into a look of surprise and slight fear. "But first," I turn to Raph, "you need to make a phone call."

 **Master Splinter's P.O.V**

After my son, Michelangelo, told us his idea, Raphael left the kitchen to talk on the phone in private. I leave to get Leonardo as I hear Michelangelo try to take Donatello's place in making dinner. After Miwa's episode, we decided to do a simple, small dinner. It was Raphael's idea to make macaroni and cheese with hot dogs.

When I make it to the main room, I find Leonardo on the floor, looking at Donatello's lab door while holding Kino. Even though there were only a few toys on the floor, he has managed to put them in the box with the other toys. I wait until he realizes I am there and he looks up at me. I believe he knows we are done talking because he stands up but continues to hold his elephant.

"Can I put Kino on the couch instead?" he asks quietly.

I nod. "Of course. You can play with him when we are done eating."

He gives me a nod of understanding before setting the elephant of the couch quickly and returning to my side. Wanting him to get comfortable around me and get slightly use to physical contact that is not meant for pain, I reach down and open up my hand for him. Leonardo looks at my hand a few minutes before hesitantly taking my hand and holding it. I can't help the small smile that crosses my face as memories return to me. Memories of taking my sons' hands as we travel down sewer tunnels. Memories of taking them to the park in the middle of town during the night. Memories of taking tired children to bed after a long day of play.

I led him to the kitchen, ignoring the way he continued to look at the door to the Lab. When we reach a kitchen, I gesture towards the chair next to me. We both sit and watch as Michelangelo and Donatello serve our plates.

"I say we have Chinese food tomorrow," Michelangelo exclaims as he plops into one of the chairs. "I have a major craving for fortune cookies! I wonder if they have tons of fortune cookies in China."

"You know Americans made fortune cookies, right?"

Michelangelo stares at Donatello before stabbing some of his macaroni. "Well my whole life has been a lie."

I smile to myself at their conversation as I start to eat my own food. Not moments later, Raphael returns, giving us a nod. The plan was in motion. We will attack Shredder's lair after the sun falls. I can only hope my son finds what he is looking for and can return my daughter to me. I give him a nod in return while he sits down and starts to eat his own food.

My eyes wander to Leonardo. I discover him still watching the doors to the Lab, almost as if Miwa would walk out of there and things will return to what they previously were. I breath deeply through my nose, knowing that this could not last. If Leonardo does not take care of himself, he will become sick. I fear for what would happen to my intelligent son, Donatello, if we had to put more pressure on his shoulders. The weight would do doubt crush my son, causing the rest of the family to crumble as well.

"Leonardo," I say, getting his attention, "you must eat."

I know my words have caught the attention of my other three sons as well, but I ignore it. Leonardo looks up at me, a small hint of red showing on his cheeks. He picks up his forks and starts to play with his food, one of his habits when something was bothering him.

"I'm not hungry," he says quietly.

"You haven't eaten since lunch, though," Michelangelo states.

Leonardo does not meet our eyes and he continues moving his food from one place to another. His answer to Michelangelo's statement is a mere shrug.

"Leonardo, I know you are concerned about your mother," I start, "but if you do not eat, you might worry her."

Leonardo looks up so our eyes meet. He lets out a small sigh and uses his fork to grab a piece of hotdog Raphael has cut for him earlier. Before he puts it in his mouth, he looks back up at me again.

"You're feeding Mom, too, right?"

"Sure," Raphael answers, eating his own food and giving a small smirk, "but we can't feed her until you eat."

Of course, Raphael said this so as a joke or a way for Leonardo to finally eat his dinner. However, Leonardo's eyes widen slightly at his words and starts eating quickly. As soon as fork was free of food, he got more, not even waiting for the food in his mouth to be completely chewed. Fearing for Leonardo's safety and in fear of him choking, I firmly grab his shoulder.

"Leonardo! If you eat too fast, you will choke and you will only hurt yourself!"

He swallows, coughing afterwards. I rub his back as he gets himself back in order. He looks at me, his eyes slightly watered, and mutters "sorry" before slowly eating his food, taking small bites this time.

"You gotta be careful, Leo. If you eat too fast, you could make yourself sick again."

Leonardo's eyes narrow in annoyance but doesn't say anything and I can't help but grin. It was obvious the small turtle was annoyed at us for telling him how to eat and what to do. Of course, he knew there was nothing we could do about it.

We continue eating dinner with no problems. Of course, Leonardo keeps glancing at the Lab doors; but, I believe we are not surprised by it. After eating, we all help clean up, even Leonardo. After the dishes are clean and put away, Donatello excuses himself to check on Miwa. My grandson asks if he can go see her, but we all agree it is too dangerous. I knew it crushed him, but I couldn't stand watching him get hurt again. Michelangelo and Raphael help fix the pile of blankets and pillows that made the bed Miwa and Leonardo slept on. Since Donatello wants Miwa to stay in the Lab so he can watch her closely, Leonardo is to sleep alone in the main room. Michelangelo offers to stay and sleep with Leonardo but his answer was a small shake of the head.

It wasn't long before I say "good night" to my sons and Leonardo. I close the Dojo doors and walk to my own bedroom to rest. Closing the door behind me, I lay on my bed and close my eyes, taking a deep breath. A lot has happened today, and I could not wait to fall into a deep, restful sleep.

Or so I thought…

 **A/N: Okay, so small cliff hanger because this chapter is more than 5,000 words and it seemed to take a very, very long time and didn't want to take more time to work on this chapter. You know you guys love me ;P. Also, anyone know what Mikey's plan is and who Raph called? I'll give you a hint: One of your guys left a review about a certain something and gave me this idea… Anyways, I hope you all love the chapter! And the next chapter may be a bit short, but if it works out as planned, it will contain feels ;) :) :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Greeting, we meet once again! Hope you guys aren't getting tired of Master Splinter because this chapter is in his P.O.V again...sorry! Also, surprise! This chapter doesn't explain Mikey's plan! ;P You got to wait for the next chapter!** _ **There's a couple of flashbacks that I thought would be cool to add in. They will be italicized like this. Just letting you know.**_ **(Also, I apologize that updates will be longer, especially since school has started for me.)**

 **Disclaimer: Well, since my fire-breathing dragons got lost in my mail (if they were accidently sent to you, I would like them back and I'm not responsible for any damage they have caused) I still don't own TMNT universe or anything like that.**

 **Review Replies from Chapter 14:**

 **CharmyXcream14** **: Can't tell you whether you are right or wrong yet ;). But you will definitely figure it out soon ;) Thanks for the review/guess! :) :) :)**

 **Sairey13:** **Hmm, I like that idea of Donnie and Stockman having a trade off. I might end up using that! Thanks! You give me such awesome ideas and it really helps out! Keep them coming! :) And yeah, I have pictured Leo still having certain characteristics (like caring for others or focusing on others before himself) even when he turned into a kid. That's a part of his character and part of the reason why he is my favorite turtle on TMNT. As for your guess, can't say yet. But you'll find out soon! Again, thanks for your help and the ideas! :) :) :)**

 **BubblyShell22:** **Thanks! And yes, the plan is definitely going. You'll just have to wait a couple of chapters to actually see the plan (as well as who they have contacted to help them ;) ). Here's your next chapter! Sorry for the wait :(**

 **LilyTheNinjaGirl:Haha! I was wondering how many people would think the story stopped right that with that author note. ;) And your reviews only inspire me to hide more secrets };). I enjoy writing and knowing things that other people don't know. Don't worry, you'll find out soon :) :) :)**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Thanks :). And yeah, your not the only one complaining about the cruel author note I put in there };). What can I say? I'm an evil author! That also explains the wonderful cliffhangers ;). Here's your update. Sorry it's a bit late.**

Master Splinter's P.O.V

Just as my eyes close and sleep starts to call me, I hear the Dojo doors open. I lay still and listen carefully to the soft footsteps walking towards my doors. I keep my eyes close and breathe evenly, faking sleep. I finally remember the tanto I have under my pillow in case of an emergency when I realize who the steps belong to. My grandson, Leonardo.

I hear my doors open and hear a small sigh of relief. After not hearing a word from the small turtle, I prepare to turn over and question Leonardo when the door closes again. Curiosity fills me as I look at the doors; even though I cannot see him, I can hear him heading back towards the Dojo doors. As he nears the doors, I finally decide to go and investigate. I stand up quietly (trying not to startle the turtle too badly) and open my doors.

"Leonardo?" I say softly.

I see his shoulders tense before he turns around, his eyes wide and Kino held tightly in his arms. He swallows and I take note that his eyes are red. I walk up to him as we watches me closely.

"Why are you up, my grandson? You should be sleeping," I tell him as I get closer to the small child.

His eyes start to travel to the ground, not meeting my own. He hesitates before saying, "I wanted to check on you…"

Growing more curious, I kneel down in front of him and watch him closely. "Why do you need to check on me? Did you-" I stop myself from finishing. A guess on why he is up appeared in my mind. Instead of finishing my previous question, I start a new one. "Leonardo, have you ever slept by yourself?"

He looks up, confused by the change in subject. "What?"

"Have you ever slept by yourself?" I repeat.

A hint of red starts to grow on his cheeks as he shakes his head.

I have to stop from smiling as I grew more positive my guess was correct. "You have had another nightmare, haven't you?"

His eyes shift to the ground once again, knowing I can see right through him. I notice Leonardo's grip on Kino has tighten and the red has grown slightly on his cheeks. Even though he is not looking at my face, I give him a soft, reassuring smile.

"Come, Leonardo," I tell him kindly, standing up and walking to my bedroom. "Why don't you explain to me what occured in your dream?"

It takes him a few seconds before he follows me. Once I am inside my room, I add a couple more blankets and pillows for Leonardo to sleep on. I have a feeling I won't sleep alone tonight. I turn around and notice my grandson standing in the doorway, holding his elephant and appearing as if he wasn't sure what to do. I gesture to the bed and watch as he slowly walks over before sitting down. After making sure everything was in place (including the moving of the knife under my pillow so it is farther away from Leonardo) I sit down besides him.

"Now," I say calmly, "explain to me what has caused you to come and check I was still here?"

Leonardo watches his feet as they kick back and forth is small movements. "I, uh, I dreamt about the Sharp Man," he says quietly.

"The Shredder?"

He nods, turning his gaze to Kino now. "Yeah, Tiger Guy was there too."

"I believe that is Tiger Claw, a very dangerous mutant."

"Yeah," Leonardo agrees. "He wasn't very nice when we were in the Room."

That concerns me as I continue to watch my grandson. "Leonardo," I start, letting the concern show in my voice so he knows how serious it is, "has Tiger Claw given you serious injuries?"

Leonardo's gaze finally lands on me, obviously noticing the concern my question held. His eyes travel away, thinking about his answer, before returning back to me. "Sometimes. Even though he wasn't really nice and sometimes hurt Mommy, too, he wasn't as bad as some of the others. I think it was because I'm little. He had to hurt me so he wouldn't get in trouble, but I don't think he liked it."

His answer made me wonder if there was any goodness inside Tiger Claw or any of Shredder's other minions. Hurting a child is something only the cruelest of men can accomplish; and if some of Shredder's servants held back when hurting Leonardo, maybe they are not as heartless as I originally thought.

I nod in response to Leonardo's answer, showing him I understood what he meant. "So the Shredder and Tiger Claw was in your dream. Who else was?"

"Umm, me and you."

I nod again, figuring we were part of the dream. I watch as he shifts slightly, showing how awkward it was for him to be in this type of position. Leonardo has never enjoyed being the center of attention; however, I know it will not be wise to leave things like this unnoticed. If you do not give certain situations the proper care and attention, they can often lead to bigger, more complicated problems. So I keep my attention on him, waiting for him to get comfortable and tell me his dream.

After a few minutes of silence, I believe he finally realizes that I am waiting for him to continue. Letting out a sigh, he starts to tell his tale. "I was back at that place, but not in the room. You were there. The Sharp Man had you tied up with some chains." He closes his eyes, almost as if trying to return the nightmare from the depths of his mind. "I tried to go help you, but the Ti- I mean, Tiger Claw, had my hands behind my back. He wouldn't let me go. I yelled, called for you, but Tiger Claw only laughed."

Even though my heart tightened painfully at watching the tears fall from my grandson's face, I allowed him to continue. As he spoke, I saw the image in my mind. It was a memory from his past that I remember well. I have received the call from the Cheese Phone. I answered it, only to hear Leonardo's panicked voice. I found my sons, bound together with rope with Tiger Claw standing above them. I sacrificed myself to Tiger Claw, allowing myself to be drugged while my sons were able to return home. Of course, Leonardo came to the Shredder's Lair to rescue me. It turns out though, Leonardo getting caught by Tiger Claw as well was part of their plan. **(This dream was based off of "The Manhattan Project"/"Wormquake")** Even though the results were not what I feared they would be, I will not forget how panicked I truly was that night.

"The Sharp Man let you go, but he started beating you up. I-I couldn't save you a-and you feel down and you wouldn't get-get back up. The Sharp Man and Tiger Claw laughed! So, I went to-to make sure you weren't-" he does not finish his sentence, but I already understood. I pulled the small, crying turtle into my arms, feeling his wet tears soaking my robe. I rub his shell, trying to comfort him with my presence.

"It is alright, Leonardo. I am alright and free from the Shredder's grasp. You have nothing to fear," I reassure.

I feel him nod against me before pulling away slowly, wiping the tears from his cheeks. I put my hand on his shoulder. "Leonardo, why don't you stay with me tonight? Together we will send your nightmares far away."

He chuckles a bit before nodding with a smile. After a few minutes, I found myself under warm blankets with a small turtle besides me. He wasn't very close to me, but I understood him being wary of people after all he has been through, even a few days after being rescued. This brings back of my sons coming to me in the middle of the night. Even though at the moment it was always rough to get a good night sleep, I would have not changed anything.

I remember Michelangelo would visit me a few times. He would often go to sleep and wake up to nothing; however, if he can not sleep, he would come and inform me of his problem of he will start to hear the noises of the sewers. As a child, imagination can be both a blessing and a curse. The noise of running water or faintly hearing a large plane or truck can become a creeping monster for a child.

 _I first hear the knock. I am ashamed to say that I decide to stay quiet, hoping for a couple more hours of rest. There was many chores that need to be done around the Lair that require energy. After a few seconds of hearing a knock, I hear a small voice call my name. I hold back a groan and continue to stay quiet, wishing my son will believe I am in a deep sleep. Of course, that would be all too simple._

 _I hear my door open. Finally giving up, I sit up on my elbows and turn to find one of my sons in my doorway, holding a teddy bear. He walks into my room and comes to my bed. His large blue eyes shining in the dark and they seek for some type of comfort._

" _Master Splinter?" I hear him say in a whisper, even though his brothers would not hear him if he spoke casually._

" _Yes, Michelangelo?" I ask softly, my voice sounding tired._

" _I can't sleep," he says bluntly, rocking on his heels slightly. "And the noises are too loud."_

 _I let out a light sigh, knowing that my sons coming to sleep in my room could not last long. I give a soft "come" as I move over and pull some of the blankets for my young son to squeeze under. As he scooted in the bed, he came close to me, rubbing his cheek against my chest. I allow a small smile to cross my face and I feel my eyes start to close._

" _How do you sleep at night, Dad? Don't the noises bother you?"_

 _I try not to sigh at my son's question when I open my eyes. "I ignore them, my son. I know they won't bother me. It takes a lot of practice."_

" _Oh, okay," is his answer. "Do you think I can do that?"_

" _Of course you can, my son," I say, allowing my eyes to close again. "It may simply take time."_

" _Hey Dad?"_

" _Yes, Michelangelo?"_

" _I love you."_

 _I smile. "I love you too." I kiss his forehead and fall asleep to the sounds of his deep breathing._

Years after that, when we started getting access to more technology, I presented Michelangelo with a gift (with a little bit of assistance from Donatello, of course). I have given him earbuds and a radio. Ever since then, Michelangelo would play his radio and listen to music, ignoring the sounds of the world around him. Of course, if there was an attack on the Lair, Michelangelo had his music low enough so he could hear the danger.

I look at Leonardo. His eyes are open and I realize that he is playing with Kino, his hands making his toy move in certain ways and directions. I let out a small sigh at the sight of my grandson fighting sleep.

"Leonardo," I say softly, fighting the smile that is threatening to cross my face. "You must try to rest."

He turns his head to look at me before lowering Kino. "Sorry."

It does not take a genius to know why the child does not wish to sleep. He does not wish to experience another nightmare. "Leonardo. How do you expect to fight off your nightmares if you don't face them?"

That causes him to go silent, deep in thought. I can't help but think of the time Raphael came to me after a nightmare. Raphael acted just like Leonardo is right now. He was afraid, but he wouldn't admit. He was afraid to fall asleep after seeing the dream. Raphael (and sometimes Leonardo) has many night terrors; and as a child, he would seek me for comfort.

 _I hear the sound of quick feet quietly running towards my room. Honestly, it does not bother me tonight that one of my sons have waken up. I was already having trouble sleeping and I was even considering on getting some tea, hoping that will help my body finally get some rest. I quickly sit up and walk over to my door. I am already able to tell which one of my sons is coming. Raphael does not usually come to my room, but when he does, it is usually for the same reason every time._

 _I open my door just in time to see my small son's bare face, his eyes filled with unshed tears. His bottom lip was quivering and I can tell he is having a hard time fighting back sobs. I open my arms to him, taking an extra step to sooner hold my son as he practically leaped into my arms. After my arms wrap around Raphael, I hear a few soft sobs escape him. I close my eyes and hold him tighter, slowly rocking my small turtle son._

 _We stand like that for a few more minutes until my son's sobs turn into small sniffs. I rub his shell before letting him go from my embrace, leaving on of my hands on his shoulder. Without a word from either of us, I lead him to my room, shutting the door behind me. After we are both in my room, I lead him to my bed. He climbs in without a word and I start to cover him with the warm blanket, getting into my bed myself. We lay in silence, our breaths making the only sound in the room._

" _Do you wish to talk about it, my son?" I ask after a few more minutes._

 _Raphael shakes his head, his eyes watching the ceiling._

 _I nod, even though I'm not sure if he can really see it. "Alright, but if or when you wish to, I am here."_

 _My son nods, his eyes not leaving the ceiling. "I know. Thanks, Master Splinter."_

 _I nod in response. After a few more minutes of silence, I figure we will be going to bed, not pushing the matter further. I close my eyes, hoping sleep would somehow come easier not that my son is here with me. I feel a little more tired, but sleep still feels so far away. I hear a small sigh by me and I open my eyes. I turn my head to the owner of the sigh._

" _Raphael?"_

 _He turns to look at me, the first time since he has entered my room. "Will they ever stop, Master Splinter? I don't like them. They feel real."_

" _My son," I say quietly, rubbing his cheek with my hand. "You are very brave my son, and I know you will be strong enough to fight these evil dreams. It may take time, but hopefully they will soon leave your mind. Maybe not forever, but for a good amount of time."_

 _Raphael nods in understanding, turning his gaze back toward the ceiling. Realizing our conversation has ended, I turn over and close my eyes, wishing for sleep to take me once again. It wasn't long till I felt Raphael jerk next to me. Part of me feared that he has experienced another nightmare, but it has been far too quick for him to fall back asleep. I turn over to find Raphael staring at the ceiling, his eyes slowly closing before he snaps them open again. Realization hits me as I finally understand what he attempting to do._

" _Raphael, to conquer your fears, you must face them."_

 _He looks at me before giving a small sigh. "Fine," he says quietly, turning his body so he can get more comfortable. Raphael's eyes start to droop once again._

" _Do not worry, my son," I say reassuringly, putting a hand on his arm and rubbing reassuringly. "I am here."_

"Master Splinter?"

I snap out of the memory to look down at Leonardo, his eyes wide and curious. I give him a small smile before saying, "Yes, Leonardo?"

He hesitates, biting his lip ever so slightly. "Do you think Mommy will ever get better?"

"Yes," I say instantly, not letting my mind think of the logical side of his question. I know there is a chance that Donatello can not save Miwa, but my heart continues to hope that by some miracle, Donatello can reunite us with our daughter.

Leonardo watches me as I give my answer, as if searching to see if I spoke the truth. After a while, he gives me a small nod before lowering his gaze and hugging his elephant tighter, moving closer to me ever so slightly.

"Are you alright, Leonardo?" I can't help but ask. "A lot has happened for a young mind like yours. There is no shame in needing a bit of support."

"I'm fine," he replies quietly, moving closer to me. "It's just hard. I always have Mommy. I don't want her to get hurt or anything."

I can't help but notice how he is trying to keep the subject off of himself, something he has been doing quite often before he was transformed. He is not the only small turtle that puts other people's needs before his own. One thing I have noticed is how kind and caring of others both Leonardo and Donatello are. Donatello will work all night not just because he enjoys it (which he does) but also because he wishes to help people. I remember one night when I woke up to find my genius son ill. He knew his illness wasn't serious (since he has researched illnesses before) and didn't wish for me to stay up and help him. Of course, as a father, that was the last thing I was going to do.

 _I awake to the sound of retching. Fearing for my sons, I quickly jump out of bed and dash to the bathroom. I find my son, Donatello, near the toilet, tears in his eyes as he takes deep breaths. He looks up at me after hearing me enter the room. He opens his mouth to say something, but stops short to turn back to the toilet and throw up._

" _Oh, Donatello," I breathe out as I walk towards my son, putting my hand on his shell and rubbing it comfortingly. "Why didn't you tell me you were ill?"_

 _He waves me off, his exhaustion showing clearly on his face. "It's just a bug. I'm fine-"_

 _Before he can finish, he lunges of the toilet, throwing up yesterday's dinner. I keep my hand on his shell, even though the smell sickens me as well. I wait till a few minutes after he is finished to let him catch his breath._

" _Stay here, Donatello, I will fetch you a glass of water," I say, getting up before he can protest._

 _Even though this is not the first time one of my sons got sick, I want to return to my son as quickly as possible. Due to our home being in the sewers and our access to very little medication, my sons becoming ill continues to frighten me. I take deep breaths to keep my mind focused as I fill a small cup with water. I regret not feeling my sons head for a fever. Hopefully Donatello is right and it is just a small bug that will pass soon._

 _I rush back towards the bathroom to find my son leaning against the wall next to the toilet, his eyes closed. It is obvious that he is exhausted and is only awake due to the illness that lives inside him. I kneel down in front my Donatello, handing him the glass of water. My son opens his eyes, glancing between me and the glass as if unsure he wants it. He takes the cup and puts his lips, leaning his head back slightly and taking a couple small sips of the cold water. I watch his face scrunch up slightly due to the taste that still rests in the back of his throat. After a couple more sips, my son's face relaxes and he removes the cup from his mouth, closing his eyes again._

" _Donatello," I say, breaking the silence and causing his eyes to open slightly, "do you feel like you need to throw up?"_

 _He shakes his head. "No. I think I'm done. Sorry I woke you up."_

 _I give him a small smile and put my hand on his shoulder. "Do not apologize my son. I would rather be woken up when you are ill than being asleep in bed." I stand up and look down at my son, his eyes closing again. I take the cup from his hands, putting it on the bathroom sink. I am about to tell him to get up and come with me when I realize he was already falling asleep once again. I smile and let out a small sight before I lean down and pick up my son._

 _Donatello mumbles something, but it does not come out clearly and I decide to ignore his words. My guess he was protesting me carrying him or he knew I was taking him to my room. That was one thing I always did with my sons. I take them to my room so they may rest with me and I am able to watch them closely when they are sick._

 _As I walk into my room, I place a small kiss on my son's forehead, feeling his forehead at the same time. Realizing his head was at a normal temperature, I let out a small sigh of relief. I pull back the blankets from my bed and lower Donatello onto the sheet. He moves slightly when he comes into contact with the bed and mumbles something lightly as I cover him with a warm blanket. I give him a smile (even though he cannot see it) and rub his head comfortingly, waiting for my son to calm and return to a peaceful sleep._

 _I wait until my son looks comfortable till I move to the other side of my bed, feeling exhausted myself. After I pull the covers away, I make myself comfortable as I feel my tired eyes start to close and my body welcomes the sleep. Before the darkness takes me, I wrap my arm around his shoulders, pulling his closer. Another smile crosses my face as I feel Donatello move towards me, his head snuggling my chest._

As the memory fades, I realize I still feel something close to my chest. Looking down, I can't help but smile when I find that Leonardo has scooted closer to me. His head is buried in my chest, his left arm wrapped around the neck of Kino, only to snake back so his thumb was in his mouth. His right arm was close to my chest as well, feeling my fur. Leonardo's eyes are close, signalling he is either deeply asleep or only starting to get there. I decide to wrap my arm around his shell, pulling him closer to me. He only stirs slightly and doesn't try to stop me.

I close my eyes, finally allowing my body to rest once again. I don't try stopping the last memory from entering my mind as the darkness of night and sleep enclose around me.

 _I quietly open the door, using every ninja skill I possess to prevent the awakening of my sons. Recently, I have had to leave the Lair while my sons are asleep, going to the surface to get us more supplies. Everytime I go out, there is a small amount of fear that rests inside of me. As a parent, I often feel nervous for my sons and my mind will think of the worse that would happen to them while I'm away._

 _Quietly shutting the door behind me, I start my way to the kitchen. Tonight, I have mostly gotten a bit of food that should cover us for a couple days. I was also able to get a little bit of medicine as well as some kitchen supplies. Even though I was out longer than I would have liked and more than I usually am, I believe it was worth it._

 _I don't make it to the kitchen. As I start to past the couch, a small turtle head looks up at me, his blue eyes wide. His eyes held unshed tears as well as exhaustion. My own eyes widen slightly at I look back at my son. Panic start to pool at the bottom of my stomach. One of my sons must have woken while I was gone. That was one of the things I feared whenever I left._

" _Leonardo," I say, allowing some shock to show in my voice. "What are you doing up?"_

 _My sons rubs his eyes as he sits up straighter. "I couldn't sleep and I heard the door open and close," he answers quietly. "You weren't home and," he sniffs, taking in a shaky breath as well, "and I was afraid you left me and my brothers."_

" _Oh, my son," I breathe out, putting down the bags of supplies in my hands onto the floor and walk over to Leonardo. Kneeling in front of him, I rub the side of his face with my hand, trying to send him comfort and peace. "I would never leave you nor your brothers. I merely left to get supplies for you and your brothers. I promise, I would never abandon you."_

 _He lunges towards me, wrapping his arms around my neck. I feel his small body to shake and I can hear his breathing becoming shaky and in sniffs. I wrap my arms around my crying son, hating how much I have worried him. I rub the back of his shell for a few minutes before I ease him out of our embrace. I wipe away the wet trails that once carried tears down his cheeks and I give him a small, reassuring smile._

" _Why don't you help me get these supplies to the kitchen?" I offer._

 _He gives me a nod as an answer. As I stand up, I reach my hand out for him to take. Leonardo takes my hand and I help him get off the couch. He helps me carry a bag to the kitchen; but besides that, he does not do much. First, my son is exhausted. He has woken up in the middle of the night and has probably been awake for a while. Second, most of the supplies had to be put away in high places that my son could not reach. However, he stays by my side the entire time, almost as if afraid I will disappear if he isn't with me. Once the bags are empty, I look down to catch him yawning, rubbing one of his eyes as well._

 _I pick him up into my arms, allowing him to rest his head on my shoulder. "Leonardo, why don't you rest with me tonight? I'm sure your brothers won't mind." I feel him nod slightly, but I'm not sure if he understood my words in his tired state. Smiling to myself, I carry him to my room. Laying him on my bed, I notice the time. I know I will not have much longer too sleep before I have to get up and prepare breakfast for my four growing sons. That means that I must get as much sleep as I can. As I crawl into bed myself, I feel Leonardo move closer to me in his sleep, his small body close to mine. This is one of the benefits of being a father._

(Donatello's P.O.V)

I let out a small, tired sigh as I rub the back of my neck with one of my hands. With my other hand, I hold up my phone, my thumb hovering over the buttons. I can't help but turn to look at Miwa on the table. We had to bound her hands and tail incase she woke up in her mutant state and tried to attack us again. Letting out a small sigh, I dial April's number. After Mikey suggested April trying to fix Miwa with a mental link, I decided to try to talk to April. After all, it wasn't a bad idea.

"Hello?" a tired voice answers on the other end of the line.

"Hey, April," I say. "You sound tired."

"Yeah; yours does, too."

That causes me to smile a bit before returning serious. "I have to ask you a question."

"Shoot," she replies, sounding a bit more awake."

"You know how Miwa was losing her mind, right?"

"Yeah…?"

"It happened again, but worse this time."

"Is everyone alright?" she asks, concerned.

"A bit shaken, but not too bad. We have a plan on how to get information on Stockman and maybe get a cure for Miwa. Mikey, though, suggested something easier."

"And I have a feeling it will involve me somehow."

I smirk. "You know us too well. There may be a way for you to create a mental link with Miwa and led her back into her right mind."

"Donnie, I haven't used any telepathic abilities or anything for a while…"

"I know. You might not be able to get her back. I'm just saying it's always an idea. If you are not up for it-"

She interrupts me, "I didn't say I wasn't up for it. I am always willing to help you guys. You're my family. I'm just saying there might be risks; but I'm up for it if you are."

"Only if you are sure," I say, not wanting her to think she is forced to do this.

"Yes," she sounds determine. "I am sure. How about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" I ask in shock. "I didn't think you were so close to home."

"I took the quick way home," I can practically hear her smile over the phone. "I'm going to be home tomorrow around ten. I'm going to hang out with my dad before going to a job interview around lunch. After that, I will head over there."

"A job interview? You're not taking any breaks are you?" I ask jokingly.

I hear her chuckle. "Well, I'm going to try to work on the news. I really want to pay off my college loans as soon as possible and just help my dad. Then, I might be able to find a job as a scientist. After hanging around you guys for so long, I basically need to do something constantly."

I laugh lightly at that before I start to think. "The only problem is with Leo."

"What you mean?"

"Well, Casey came over before I told him what happened and he kind of freaked Leo and Miwa out."

"Yeah, he told me about that a little."

I nod, even though I know she can't see it. "Basically, he is still not used to humans. I don't know how he will react or anything. He knows you and Casey are good and all but-"

"Calm down, Donnie," she interrupts me again. "I'm not Casey. I won't be loud or sudden or anything. I will let him get use to me and I'll be patient. Besides, I'm sure it will be better when he actually knows I'm coming."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Hey, I got to go Donnie; but I'll tell you when I'm heading over tomorrow, okay?"

I'm a little sad she has to go already, but I can't help but agree that we should end the conversation. After all, I still got my own sleep to get to. "Alright, see you then!"

"See ya!"

After I hang up, I look back over at Miwa's still body, double checking that her vitals and breathing is fine. Letting out one last sigh, I walk towards my bed, taking off my gear as I walk over. As I pull the covers back, I look back towards the direction of Miwa. "Don't worry, Miwa," I whisper to the silence and my sleeping sister. "I will fix you. I promise."

 **Michelangelo: *appears on your screen* You're welcome guys! I was able to convince the author to give you guys a glimpse into our childhood. After all, what's cuter than four tiny mutant turtles? Especially when they seek some love from their dad, am I right? Have a good day guys! Leave a review, too! Just put down a lot of smiley faces! Like this: :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)**

 **Booyakasha!**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Hey guys! Happy Labor Day! I was reading a FanFiction once and I have a question...can you review your own story? Have any of you ever tried that? I think the author of a FF I have read has done that (it was kind of funny) but I'm just wondering. Part of me wants to and then do something random ;P ALSO, I'm REALLY sorry if I'm repeating stuff in this chapter. I work on it a bit of the chapter one day and then a bit more the next and I sometimes I forget I have already said that. If I repeat something too much, let me know! (Or if I seem to be leaving something out.)**

 **Disclaimer: If I owned TMNT, I would have tons of episodes with little turtle tots or more SAINW universe episodes ;)**

 **Review Replies for Chapter 15:**

 **Insanity21:** **I was actually wondering where you were ;). That totally sucks being sick! I hope you are feeling better! I'm also glad you enjoyed the chapter! Hope you enjoy this one just as much! :) :) :)**

 **Sairey13:** **I might think about doing that! Tiger Claw is one of my favorite villains and I agree with you about him having more honor than the Shredder. There is also a story about Tiger Claw raising Leo. It's called** **TMNT 2012: No Love is Greater** **by Sesshomarusama3. If you go to my profile and to my favorite stories, you should find it there if you are interested. As for the Tang Shen part of your review, I have actually had a small idea of something like that happening to a story. Probably not this one, but maybe a one shot or something. Thanks for the suggestions though! :) Also, Michelangelo thanks you for the smiley faces ;).**

 **BubblyShell22:** **I'm glad you enjoyed the flashbacks :). I may add some more later on in the story if I can. I just love those turtle tots! ;). Anyway, here is Chapter 16 and I hope you like it :).**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Thank you! And here is an update!**

 **LilyTheNinjaGirl:** **Mikey smiled at your message ;). I'm really glad you like the chapter! And don't worry, there will be many more lovely cliffhangers! ;) I'm also glad to hear you love the baby turtles too! Hopefully, I will be able to slip in a few more later on. And thank you for the compliments and the review! Enjoy the chapter! :)**

 **Mikey's P.O.V**

As I start to wake up, I let out the world's biggest yawn. I have a feeling today will be a pretty good day; of course, I then look at the clock and groan. I was sure Master Splinter was going to let us sleep in today and I end up waking up at seven! I could have slept in till nine, or even ten! Letting out a sigh, I get up from my bed and start to put on my gear. After all, there is no way I'm going to go back to sleep now.

After putting on the last of my gear and everything, I get up to my feet and walk over to my dresser to check my T-phone. I was just going to play some tunes to start off my day when I noticed I got a new message. Curious on who it was and what it says, I pull it up.

 _Donnie:_

 _Talked to April._

 _Said she will come after lunch sometime to see if she can help Miwa._

Whenever one of my brothers or I have to tell each other when it's late at night and we don't want to forget, we usually send each other a message to read in the morning. My guess is Donnie talked to April last night while we were all in bed. Not wanting to forget (or get up and actually tell us) he probably sent that message before going to sleep.

My brother's message reminds me of the plan for today. Breaking into the Shredder's Lair. Something I don't want to do. It isn't that I don't think we could take the Shredder and his loony goons down, it's just that there are so many memories there. My father was captured there **(TMNT 2012: Wormquake)**. My sister was raised in lies and tortured there. One of my brothers were tortured and turned into a kid. And another one of my brothers were brainwashed **(TMNT 2012: Clash of the Mutanimals)**. Just thinking about that place gives me the shudders.

Letting out a sigh, I silently pray that somehow April is able to help Miwa. I take a couple more deep breaths, I force on a smile. I don't want to think about that; I can't think about it. After all, everyone is under a lot of stress; they don't need another stressful person to add to the mix. They need someone to lighten up the mood. And, as usual, I'm willing to take that job.

Leaving my room, I take a deep breath and listen for a few minutes. I can hear Raph's snores (you can hear them from New Jersey) and I don't hear any sounds from the Lab. That means Raph, Donnie, and Miwa are all still asleep. I'm able to hear the small clank of a spoon smacking a cup in the kitchen. My guess in Master Splinter is in the kitchen making tea. That is no surprise at all. He always gets up early and tea is like what he drinks every ten minutes. This causes me to smile. After all, I get the kitchen and get to make my own breakfast.

I quietly make my way to kitchen, passing a sleeping Leo in his bed of blankets and pillows we made in the living room when him and Miwa first came. It causes my smile to only grow as I watch him sleep, his eyes close and his mouth open ever so slightly, taking in big breaths of air. Part of me wants to pull the blanket up closer to his chest, but I know I am bound to wake him up. So, instead of taking that risk, I decide to start heading back to the kitchen once again.

Sure enough, I find Master Splinter sitting at the dining room table, a cup of tea in his hands and a spoon besides his elbow that rests on the table. I can see steam coming from off his tea as he takes a sip. After he lowers the cup, he turns to me and gives me a light smile and his traditional "Good morning, my son."

"Morning, Master Splinter," I say quietly, still afraid I will wake up someone. I decide to make some scramble eggs for breakfast and go to the fridge to take them out. Silence fills the Lair again as I start to cook the eggs on the skillet and my father enjoys his tea. After a few minutes of tapping my foot against the floor, I realize I got to fill the silence up with something.

"So, I guess everyone slept well, huh?" Man, that was a lame way to start a conversation.

"I believe so," he replies. I see him give a small nod out of the corner of my eye. "Although, Leonardo had to come to my room in the middle of the night."

"Really? Why?" I can't help but feel a bit nervous and paranoid. Was he sick again? Was he scared? Was Leo worried the Shredder was going to find him? Was he worried we actually hurt his mom, Miwa? Wait, is this how Leo used to act?

"Leonardo had a memory last night," my father says calmly, taking another sip of tea before continuing. "The memory involved the time when I was captured by Tiger Claw and Miwa and taken to the Shredder. However, his memory had a different ending than what really happened."

"Oh," I simply say, getting my eggs onto a plate before putting cheese on them. I could make the connection on what happened in Leo's dream. I'm pretty sure all of us have experienced a dream where Master Splinter dies. None of us like to talk about those dreams, but we know when we have them. They will wake up all tense like after awakening from any nightmare or before we go on an important mission. Then, they visibly relax after seeing Master Splinter alive and well. It's the same thing if we have a nightmare of one of us dying or one of our close friends.

Something clicked in my brain as I sit down by Master Splinter. "If Leo went to you last night, did you just send him back to bed? He was sleeping in the living room last time I checked."

"I let him sleep with me last night. However, after waking up and finding Leonardo was still asleep, I told him I was moving him to the living room. Of course, he fell right back asleep, not showing a care in the world. I put him in the living room while I came into the kitchen."

I nod. He use to do that with us, too. Master Splinter can't just lay in bed all day; so when we use to sleep with him as kids, we would always end up waking up in our own beds or in the living room. It never really bothered us. After all, we were able to sleep with Master Splinter and not get up early. How awesome is that?

Donnie walks in at that moment. He seems brain-dead as he stumbles for a mug. I smirk as he glances over at us and gives a small nod. Master Splinter and I return it with our own nods as he pours himself a cup of coffee. I'm just about to say something about how Donnie is practically living off of coffee, but Sensei clears his throat.

"Are you going to be joining us, my son?"

Don looks at him as he rubs the sleep from his eyes. "Probably not, Master Splinter. I need to get ready for tonight. I also need to get my equipment ready for April."

Master Splinter's eyes widen at the mention of April coming over. I remember Master Splinter doesn't text and probably didn't know about her coming. I do my best to hold back my chuckle as Donnie simply turns around before taking a sip of his hot coffee. At the sound of the chuckle I tried to hold back, Don stands up a bit straighter before turning around.

"I forgot to tell you about April coming here today, didn't I?" my brother asks.

Master Splinter stands up to get more tea in his cup, smacking Don in the back of the head with his cane. "Yes, you did."

"Ow! Sorry, Sensei."

"April's coming over to help with Miwa, Master Splinter," I explain while my brother rubs the back of his head. "To help with the whole getting-Miwa-in-her-right-mind thing, remember?"

My father nods, holding his new cup of tea close to his chest. "Yes. Donatello, do you think this will work?"

Don shrugs. "I'm not sure, Sensei. There are a wide range of possible outcomes."

Master Splinter nods again before saying "Keep me informed, my sons" and walking to his room, shutting the door behind him. Donnie follows his example, walking to his Lab with his coffee in his hand. I can't help but release a small sigh as I became the only one in the kitchen.

"Got something on your mind?"

I look up from my plate of half-eaten eggs to see Raph coming in. Before Leo disappeared, Raph was usually the last person up. He would sleep in for as long as he could while still being in time for training. If we didn't have training that morning, he would sleep in till noon. I would get hungry way before that.

"It's more like what I don't have on mind," I say with a smile. It's true though. My older brother turned little, a friend is going to use her super mind powers to heal my sister, and we are going to break into an evil dude's lair. The only thing we haven't done is see Batman!

"Yeah," Raph replies, grabbing a box of cereal from the counter onto the table. "You got Don's text last night, right?"

I nod, my eyes following him as he gets a bowl, spoon, and the milk. "Yeah. Here's to hoping it works." I get up to push my dishes into the sink just as Raph sits down to eat his breakfast.

"By the way, your on Leo duty for the day."

I blink at his words before turning around to look at him. "Say what now?"

He takes a bite of cereal before looking back up at me. "Master Splinter is meditating, Donnie is in his lab, and I still got to work on the plan for tonight and practice in the Dojo. That leaves you on Leo duty."

I smirk as an idea pops in my head. "Sure, I'll teach him 'How to Get Under Raph's Shell' one-o-one."

"If I find him throwing a water balloon at me, you are dead meat."

I swallow hard for dramatic effect. "Alright, I'll stay away the pranks."

My brother smirks at me before going back to his cereal. He looks like he's going to say something, but stops when I hear movement in the living room. I raise a brow at Raph, who in returns to tilt his head towards the living room, silently telling me to check it out. I decide to do what he says and walk to the living room to find Leo has moved. Now, his face was facing the ceiling and his eyes were open and awake. Even though he was small, he still looked like my older brother. I guess he was able to hear me because he turns his head toward me. Our eyes meet and he gives me a small smile in return to my own.

"Morning! How's my favorite nephew?"

His face shows confusion at my question. "I thought I was your only nephew."

I smirk. "Yeah, you are. And you're my favorite."

He smiles at me before sitting up and stretching, looking around the living room. I'm about to tell him how Master Splinter brought him in here and is now meditating, but I could tell he figured it out after his eyes show understanding. I bend my knees so we were almost the same height while he sat on his bed.

"Why don't we go get you some breakfast, huh?"

He nods before getting up and following me to the kitchen. Once we reach the kitchen, Raph is already putting his bowl in the dishwasher. He turns around as Leo sits down and I start to look through the kitchen, deciding what to make for my little nephew. Raph says, "I'll be in the Dojo," passing me and patting Leo's shoulder before walking out of the kitchen. I can't help but grin at the small smile Leo gives my brother before he walks out. I know Raph has had a hard time getting use to the whole Leo-being-small thing, but it looks like they are slowly warming up to each other.

"So," I say a bit after Raph leaves the kitchen, "what are you feeling for breakfast?"

Leo shrugs and I playfully glare at him. "You are not very helpful, are you?"

In response, he chuckles before giving another small shrug. Realizing he wasn't going to give me anything, I open the fridge and look around. Donnie wants him and Miwa to eat a bit more and more filling food over the next couple of days. As master chef of our home, I will make that happen.

I peek around the fridge door to look at him. He watches my actions with wide eyes, obviously curious on what I was doing and what I was deciding to give him. "What if I give you a little bit of scrambled eggs and a small bit of juice? Sounds good?"

He gives me another smile and nods, before yawning wide. I'm about to let out a small "awww" but I knew that would embarrass him and decide against it. Instead, I crack the egg and put it on the skillet, letting it start to cook while a got a small plastic cup we still have. I get the jug of some orange-pineapple-apple juice and pour a small amount of juice in the cup. Putting the jug away but leaving the cup on the counter, I finish up the egg. Leo watches me as I come over to him with a glass of juice in one hand and a plate of scrambled eggs in the other.

"Thank you," he says quietly before taking a bite of the egg. I sit down across from him and watch him enjoy his breakfast. I start to drift off on later today and how easier and happier things will be once we get Miwa back in order. A connection snaps in my head and I freeze. I'm probably going to be the one who tells Leo about April and our friends coming over later today. Will he freak out again? Will he just refuse to see them all together?

"Uncle Mikey?"

I blink myself back into reality to find Leo looking at me with confusion and concern. I guess I must have blanked out or something. "Sorry. Thinking," I explain simply.

"What are you thinking about?" he asks innocently, taking another bite out of his eggs.

I clap my friends in front of me and start to think about how to say everything that is going on today. "Well," I start, "you remember that human girl from your dream? Red hair? Her name was April."

He visibly swallows and he looks up at me with nervous eyes. "What about her?"

"We think she might be able to help your mom. She's going to come over here after lunch. She won't hurt you or your mom. She's a friend and she's only here to help."

Leo's eyes widen and he swallows again. He nods ever so slightly, but that is the only movement he makes. Realizing how he was only bound to panic more, I stand up and move to stand by his chair. I crouch so we are once again about the same height, the chair making him taller than me, though. I put one hand on his upper arm.

"Hey," I start out quietly and comfortingly. His eyes have never left me this entire time, still as big as ever. "I promise I won't leave your side, okay? I won't leave you alone with her. She could be the key to fixing your mom, though, and she is taking time out of her day to help. I won't let anything bad happen to you, okay?"

He visibly relaxes and he gives me a small, thankful smile. The smile doesn't last long and is replaced with a serious look once again. "Do you really think she can help Mommy?"

I let out a small sigh as I rub his arm. "I really hope so, Little Dude. I really hope so."

The rest of breakfast is quiet. I haven't told him about our plan to go to the Shredder's Lair yet; just in case if April is able to bring Miwa back to her normal self. I tap my fingers together on the table as Leo finishes his breakfast. Once he is done, I put his dishes away. I turn around, look at him, and put my hands on my hips with a sigh. I try to think of some things we could do as he looks up at me. I freeze, once again, before a smile crosses my lips. I tilt my head for Leo to follow me as I head for the living room. I hear the table squeak against the floor as my nephew gets down and follows me.

I kneel in front of the TV, looking through the DVDs, trying to find the right one. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Leonardo sit besides me. He has his toy elephant in his arms as he looks over my shoulder. Finding the case full of CDs, I can't help but smile. Just before Leo can see the the cover of it, I quickly put a disk into the DVD player and start to play it. Putting the case back, I gesture over to the couch, signaling Leo to go sit down.

"What are we watching?" he asks as I sit next to him.

I smirk at him as I get comfortable. Now I'm really wishing I had some popcorn. I am able to get the words "Space Heroes" out just as the music can be heard and colors appear on the screen.

After the next few minutes, I realize Leo's reaction has some similarities and differences. First off, if there is a moment where the hero is faced with danger and looks like he's not going to make it, Leo presses closer to me for comfort. I guess even though it has animation that isn't the best, it is realistic and serious enough for him. Leo also still stares at the screen in awe, like if he turns away from it, something terrible would happen. After the episode is almost over, I turn to look at him and realize he was mouthing the words as the characters said them.

"Leo?"

He turns his head towards me, his eyes still glancing at the screen.

"Have you ever seen this before?" I ask after a bit of hesitation.

Leo blinks at me before looking back at the screen. "No. I don't think so. It's pretty cool though."

The bit of hope deflates slightly but it hasn't disappeared. He knew what they were going to say, he just didn't realize it. I decide to drop the topic of it and just sit down and enjoy the show. A couple episodes later, I find myself covered in a blanket with a little Leo sitting next to me with his stuffed animal. If there were two of me, I would have taken a picture! However, the peaceful scene didn't last long. Feeling my phone buzz, I look down to find I just got a message from Don.

Donnie:

April is heading over with Casey. You got Leo?

I let out a bit of air. I don't think any of us was really looking forward to another freak out from the little guy. After all, these people are our friends! They were once Leo's friends! He shouldn't be afraid of them. Not only that, but who knows what kind of effects it has on April, Casey, and whoever else Leo will be freaked out by. I can't help but mentally cross my fingers, hoping it won't last long.

After looking down at Leo and putting on a determined look, I reply, "Yeah, I'll watch him," before putting my phone away. I might try to get Leo to see April and Casey again. April hasn't seen Leo in years; not only that, she has never seen us little. I have a feeling she would really like to see a little turtle tot. As I turn back to the screen, I can feel Leo's eyes on me. He probably has a good idea on what is about to happen or what is going on. Few seconds later, he continues to watch the "Space Heroes" and we continue to sit in silence.

As soon as we hear the sound of footsteps and the turn of the turnstiles, I could feel Leo tense up besides me. We both knew who was here. I put my hand on his shoulder comfortingly, whispering, "I won't leave your side. She won't hurt you." Leo gives me a nod, still as tense as ever and eyes not moving from the screen. He almost seemed afraid to look away… This doesn't reassure me.

April is still quiet, even though I can tell she is already in the Lair and heading towards us. Hearing April lightly smack Casey after he tries to whisper something, I turn around with a light smirk. She glares at Casey before giving me a small smile and wave. Casey greets me with a small, shy smile. Chuckling, I stand up to greet them. I glance down to see Leo looking up at me with wide, fearful eyes from the couch. Tilting my head for him to follow me, I walk over to greet them. After all, they look like if they move or speak ever so slightly, they would break something.

"Hey, guys," I say, breaking the silence. After all, silence was never really my thing.

"Hi, Mikey," April says. Without any hesitation, she comes over towards me and pulls me into a hug. "Look at you," she says over my shoulder. "Man, I haven't seen you in forever."

"Well, don't worry," I reply with a grin. "I haven't changed a bit."

April lets go of me, chuckling as she gave me some space. I can't stop the corners of my mouth twitch upward as I watch her gaze leave me. Her eyes grow wide before she puts her hand to her mouth. I can hear her give out a small gasp and "Awww" before she starts to crouch on her knees. Curious on Leo's expression, I look down to see him holding Kino in one hand while hiding behind my leg. He's looking at her with both wariness and curiosity.

"Hi there. I'm April," she says, giving him a warm smile. Casey shifts his feet uncomfortably behind her, looking unsure on what to do as he gave Leo a small smile in greeting. He's probably thinking about the last time he ran into Leo. I don't like my family being afraid of my friends. It just affects everyone…

I see Leo look up at me through the corner of my eye. Looking down at him, I notice how his eyes look back up at me, unsure. Giving him a reassuring smile, I tilt my heads towards April and Casey for the second time in the past five minutes. "It's okay," I whisper quietly, not sure if my friends can hear me. "You can answer them."

Leo swallows hard and grips my leg harder; but, he turns and looks back at April. He says "Hi," super soft as he makes himself shrink behind me. The only reason I am able to hear his greeting is because of being raised as a ninja and taught to have supersonic hearing. Although a greeting (even a quiet one) is an awesome start.

I give April and Casey a victory smile, one that they both returned. She sends Leo one more smile before looking back at me with a serious expression. Immediately, I know exactly what she is thinking. It's time. Giving her a silent nod, I direct her to go to the Lab. She already knows where it is, but I think Leo would feel more comfortable letting her go ahead of us. While April heads to the Lab, Casey goes to the Dojo to get Raph. Although, guessing on the smirk he gives me, he's going to try to greet Raph with a friendly tackle. Of course, we all know who wins in the match "Casey VS Ninja;" ninja always wins.

As soon as Casey and April are out of sight, I get down my knees so I'm face-to -face with Leo. I can't help but notice that he is still trembling a bit, but he looks a lot better than he did before. I put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

"Are you alright?" He nods in response and I smile at him. "See? I told you they wouldn't hurt you."

Leo gives me a smile smile as he takes a couple deep breaths through his nose. He seems kind of proud of himself for not totally freaking like he did last time; which, of course, only causes me to smile a bit more. Looking towards the Lab, no longer seeing April. She must already be in the Lab with Don; I think her being in the Lab will help Leo feel a bit more comfortable for now. Stretching my legs, I stand up and open my hand for him to take. He does without question, looking up at me while holding his elephant to his chest with his other hand.

"Come on," I say, leading him towards the Lab. "Let's go see if they can fix your mom."

Not too long after we start to walk towards Don, April, and Miwa do we hear a small yell (who I immediately recognize as Casey) followed by a loud thud. Leo jumps and turns his head towards the Dojo, where the noise came from. I'm guessing Casey's surprise attack didn't work out as plan. My grin grows as I picture Raph pushing our human friend into the Dojo floor. Casey never learns.

"It's okay," I reassure Leo, heading back to the Lab, "they do that all the time."

"Are they okay?" he asks, sounding concerned. Once Leo, always Leo.

"Raph's fine, he's probably the one who made the noise. And Casey has been fine before. I'm sure this time is no different."

 *******April's P.O.V*******

Little Leo was so cute! The guys have shown me pictures of themselves when they were younger, but I have never imagined actually seeing them so small! I try to keep a serious face as I enter Donnie's lab, but I find the corners of my mouth still curved upward slightly.

I find Donnie leaning over his computer, his eyes darting from the screen to some notes he has. His lab is a little unorganized, but I have definitely seen it in worse conditions. My eyes land on Miwa and I can't help but freeze and shudder. She's in her mutant form, strapped onto the table. I use to (and sometimes still do) have nightmares similar to this, except it was one of the guys laying on a table in a scary lab you would see out of horror movies. I swallow hard and force my eyes to look away and I make my way over to Donnie. He's so focused on his work, he doesn't even realize I'm looking over his shoulder. From the looks of things, he is looking over some old research he has on my telekinetic ability and research over Miwa's current state of mind. However, he doesn't have much on either subject, or at least nothing that looks like it can really help.

Giving up on Donnie noticing me, I clear my throat before saying, "You finding anything interesting?"

He yelps, almost falling out of his chair. I chuckle lightly as the shock shows on his face. It takes him a bit to say, "April! How long have you been there?"

"Not long," I reply, straightening some papers on his desk. "You know, for a ninja, you aren't very aware of your surroundings."

"Sorry," he says, closing some windows on his computer, "I've been pretty distracted lately."

"I can imagine." I turn to Miwa. "Do you really think this will work?"

"Only one way to find out," he says with determination and seriousness. It's quickly replaced with a look of concern when he turns back towards me. "Only if you are up to it."

"Don't worry about me," I reassure him with a smile and a hand on his shoulder. "I would love to help. After all, you guys are my family; which includes Miwa."

He smiles back at me before turning serious again. "I'm going to go tell Sensei you're here and get the others. We should probably start as soon as possible."

I nod in agreement as I watch him leave the Lab. As he leaves, I walk around and explore the Lab. Over the years, he hadn't changed it much. He still has posters over the anatomy of a turtle and human, the relics of past fights, and some of his projects that still lay on the sides of the large room. There is more notebooks, papers, machinery, better technology, and more. Even after Leo's disappearance, they guys' personalities didn't change too much. Yes, they were heartbroken, sad, and even had to mature a bit more after Leo was taken from them; but, they were still a geek, a hothead, and a comedian.

My eyes once again land on Miwa. Master Splinter has told me about the fire in Japan all those years ago, and I know the lost of Tang Shen and Miwa has left a hole in his heart. Finding out his daughter was alive and then losing her again really put a toll on him. The lost of Leo only created another hold in his heart, as well. I remember coming to the Lair while the guys were on patrol. I wanted to work on my training a little bit more and I just needed to get away from the city for a few moments. I found Master Splinter in the Dojo, setting a picture of him and his sons besides the picture of him, Shen, and Miwa. (Leo didn't like pictures of only himself, so I know they don't have many to put out.) Watching Master Splinter put a hand over his eyes and slowly sink to the ground, I had to leave him alone. He was grieving at the time and needed a moment to himself. We all did back then.

My thoughts are interrupted as Donnie comes into the Lab with Master Splinter, Mikey, and little Leo behind him. I give them each a smile as they enter the Lab, standing towards the back to give me, Don, and Miwa enough room. It's not till a few seconds later do I hear Raph and Casey noisily make themselves towards the Lab. Mikey moves Leo away from the doorway just in time to avoid getting trampled on by the boys that are pushing each other.

"May I remind you that this is my lab? Where all the breakable and super fragile but important things are?" Donnie asks, sounding annoyed and giving them both a glare. Raph opens his mouth to say something back, but stops under Splinter's narrowing eyes. I can't help but grin at that.

I follow Don over to the other side of the Lab before he takes something off of one of the small tables. I look into his hand to see a few pieces of tiny equipment wrapped into something that appeared slightly sticky along with a small, black box the size of a smart phone.

"These," Don explains, gesturing towards the tiny pieces," will help keep track of your vitals. Your pulse, brain waves, blood pressure-"

"I get it, Donnie," I say jokingly with a playful smirk.

"Oh, I forgot; you're a college student and know everything." He copies my grin before returning his gaze back to the equipment in his hands and becomes serious, again. "The black box will send me the information on your vitals, like if something starts to increase or decrease, while I watch Miwa's vitals on my computer."

Donnie carefully starts putting the tiny pieces of his creation on my temples, my neck, and my chest just above my shirt. He gives me a warm smile before walking over to his computer and typing in a few things. I walk over to the table MIwa lays on and take a deep breath. _This is it,_ I think to myself.

Turning my head over to the others, they all give me some form of encouragement. Raph gives me a smirk, Casey gives me a wink, Master Splinter gives me a smile and a nod, Mikey gives me two thumbs up and one of his famous smiles, and Leo stares at me with hopeful eyes and gives me a tiny smile. I look over at Don to see his eyes meet mine and he gives me a nod. Taking a deep breath, I touch the sides of Miwa's head and close my eyes. After a few moments of seeing the darkness behind my eyelids, I find myself in what looks like a hallway; however, there are only two doors. One door is one the left, while the other is one the right. I can't help but think I am suppose to pick a door. Walking closer to the doors, I try to look for any clues on what I'm suppose to do. Both doors look the same, though; how am I supposed to chose? Finally, deciding to follow my gut, I open the door on the left.

Opening it slowly, I start hearing a mixture of voices inside. I'm greeted with a bright light as I step into the room. Once my eyes get use to the uncomfortable brightness, I gasp at what I see. Small boxes, almost looking like large pictures, show what look like Miwa's memories. One shows the Shredder giving a young Miwa a sword as she starts to face a couple Foot soldiers. Hearing Master Splinter's voice, I see him and Miwa sitting a drinking tea, talking in the Dojo. Leo's voice grabs my attention and I find a memory showing him at age fifteen talking to Miwa on a rooftop. The memory pulls at my heart when they start laughing and they share a friendly smile. As irony would have it, right next to it was a memory of Miwa as a snake, holding a baby Leo in her arms as he slept. I feel like I'm intruding her life.

A loud crash causes me to turn my head. It came from the hallway, from the room on the right. Swallowing hard, I exit the room, shutting the door carefully behind me. Slowly and carefully, I open the door that was on the right, the only thing between me and whatever is causing the noise. My eyes widen in horror as I see Miwa in her mutant snake form; however, she is the green color of mutagen. In front of her, is Miwa in her human form, on the ground panting heavily. (Great, just what we needed, TWO Miwa's.) After hanging around Sensei for a long time, I think I understand what is going on. The mutant side of Miwa (her in her green snake form) is trying to gain control over the human, sane part of Miwa (her in her human form).

Human Miwa's eyes meet mine. I can't hear her, but I can make out her saying "Please. Help."

Gathering up my strength and confidence, I let out a sigh before getting in a battle stance. Honestly, I don't know if this could mentally injure Miwa, doing more damage than good; however, I can't just leave her like this. "I'll try."

As soon as the words leave my mouth, Mutant Miwa turns around. Her piercing green eyes stare into mine as she gives a dangerous hiss. That is the only warning I get before she strikes.

 **(Back to Mikey's P.O.V)**

The tension and suspense could be cut with Raph's Sai! It has only been a minute since April has started the mind thing, and it has been dead silent since (except for the machines making funny noises every now and then). Raph and Casey are watching Donnie's computer screen over D's shoulder, none of their gazes move from the glowing screen or make a sound. Master Splinter and Leo are watching Miwa and April like hawks. As for me, I'm kind of moving my gaze all around. After all, I haven't been able to stand still since forever!

Just as I was about to try to break the silence with a joke or something, a loud beeping comes from Don's computer. All head turns towards him, only to see his eyes widen. That is never good…

"Both of their heart races are increasing. So is their breathing! Their brain waves are going off the charts!" Donnie warns, typing in a few things before looking back at us, his eyes filled with worry.

At the sound of movement, I turn to find Miwa shaking on the table, almost as if she's having a seizure. Her body twitch and jerk this way and that, her eyes wide open. It almost seems like she's fighting something we can't see. She lets out a loud hiss and her movements increase. April starts to shake as well, but not as bad as Miwa. April's face is in a painful grimace and she is biting her lip; but, her hands are firmly on Miwa's head refusing to let go.

"Miwa!"

"Mom!"

"April!"

"Red!"

Before I realize it, my brother's, father, and Casey are by Miwa and April. Don's trying to talk to April, trying to get her to let go. Master Splinter is trying to calm Miwa down while Casey and Raph hold her down. It's then I realize that Miwa wasn't having a seizure, or at least not now. She's trying to escape. I hear Leo move, trying to get to his mom, but I move quick enough to hold him back. He'll only get in the way, or hurt. I look down and notice his eyes are wide and his face is pale, causing my heart to sting a little.

"Mikey!" I look up to see Raph looking back at me, struggling to keep Miwa down. "Get him out of here!"

Nodding, I left Leo up and quickly head to the living room. He struggles against my grip and tries to keep his eyes on his mother. He keeps yelling for her even after we are out of the Lab and on the couch. As soon as I sit him down, I pull him into a big hug, trying to comfort him and myself. He cries into my shoulder as we hear the shouts and other noises from the Lab. It wasn't until the noises soften till Leo starts to calm down a little. I don't let go of him until he finally pulls away. His eyes are still red as he wipes the tears from his eyes.

"You okay?" I ask after a few moments. Stupid question, I know.

He pulls his knees up close to his chest and wraps his arms around them. "I want my mom," he says quietly, resting his chin on his knees.

"I know you do," I say softly, putting my arm over his shoulders. "And we will get her back, it's just going to take some time, okay?"

He nods, staring at the blank screen in front of him.

"You want to watch more 'Space Heroes?'"

Leo shakes his head, his gaze not moving from the blank screen. "If the human-"

"April," I correct, unable to help myself.

He nods in understanding. "If April isn't able to help my mom, what else are we going to do?"

Letting out a sigh, I realize that now, we have no choice but to go to Shredder's Lair and steal Baxter's notes. There was nothing else we could do. However, I know if I tell him that we are going to Shredder's Lair, it's going to freak him out. "We're going to get some help from a couple friends. With their help, we are going to find a way to get your mom back." I pause. "Which is what I need to talk to you about." Leo lifts up his head to look up at me, letting me know I have his full attention. "On of our friends are going to watch you and your mom while we are gone. He's a mutant, too. He looks pretty scary, but he's a softy."

Leo's eyes widen at the mention of a new person watching him, but he gives me a nod. "Okay. When is he coming?"

"Tonight."

Leo visibly swallows before looking back at the TV. "Okay."

"They're heroes like us," I explain, trying to reassure him. "They have helped us so many times in the past. Besides, I told you I would make sure April wouldn't hurt you, and she didn't; so, I got to be right about this, too, right?"

He nods, but I'm not sure how much he is really listening. Letting out another sigh, I pull him close to me, both of us staring at the blank screen and thinking. We end up sitting there for a while, not feeling like doing anything else. After a bit, everyone starts leaving the Lab. April and Casey left not long after they were done in there, April leaning on Casey as they both sent us a small, sad smile before walking down the sewer tunnels. Master Splinter puts a hand on Leo's shoulder and gives me a small nod before silently walking towards the Dojo. Raph doesn't even look at us as he walks to his room, shutting the door kind of hard on the way out. Don, on the other hand, comes to actually talk to us. He tells us the Miwa is now asleep and it was just too much for April. He also says we will leave towards night and Raph's giving our friends a call to let them know. After Don tells us this, he walks back into his lab.

As time passes, me and Leo get a bit more active. I start to tell stories about me and my brothers saving the world, I talk about who is going to watch him, and I even tell him stories of some of the toys I let him play with. As I kid, I would always give my toys some kind of huge backstory; I'm just surprised I remember most of them. Our chats were interrupted when we heard voices enter the Lair. Turning around, I smile at seeing the Mighty Mutanimals.

"Hey there, Michelangelo," Slash says with a smile.

"Hey, Slash! You tell Raph you were here?" I ask. I would go tell my brothers, but I don't want to leave Leo alone nor do I just want to leave the Mighty Mutanimals alone in my living room. It just doesn't seem polite to me.

"I sent him a minute a few minutes ago to let him know we were on our way."

"Is that Leo!?" Pete exclaims.

I look behind me to find Leo behind me. His eyes widen a bit at the change of volume and the mention of his name. Moving behind my leg, he watches them carefully. I give him a reassuring, but his stance doesn't change.

"Yeah, this is him," I answer, putting one of my hands on his shoulder. "Leo, this is Slash, Pete, Dr. Rockwell, and Leatherhead. Leatherhead is the one watching you."

After being in Dimension X, where the time is all different, Leatherhead has gotten pretty old; however, like his heart, his strength has not gotten weaker. He still helps the Mutanimals, but he doesn't do as much as he use to. This is why he was the perfect guy to watch Leo and Miwa.

Slash gives Leo a nod at his name. Pete gets a little closer to Leo, but stops his movement when Leo shuffles further away. I want to tell him how he has a hard time warming up to people, but by the look on his face, he already knows. Rockwell looks at Leo like he's trying to observe him; I can't tell if that makes my nephew uncomfortable or not. Leatherhead steps forward when I introduce him. I hear Leo gasp behind me. Leatherhead was a pretty tall guy, especially to a little kid like Leo.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Leonardo," Leatherhead says, bowing his head slightly.

Leo swallows before returning the bow with his own. It was enough to make LH smile. That's when Raph and Master Splinter come into the room. Raph goes to give Slash a fist bump while Master Splinter stands at my side.

"Thank you all for your assistance in helping my daughter," my father says, both hands on his cane in front of him.

"It's no problem, Master Splinter," Slash says with a smile. "You're our friends, we want to help."

"Yeah!" Pete says. "After all, kicking butt is what we do!"

I can hear Leo chuckle a little behind me, causing me to smile.

"Where is Donatello?" Rockwell asks.

"Right behind you," Donnie answers, coming out of his lab with a bag over his shoulder. Lately, he has been taking it on missions. Raph and I have picked on him for it, but we stopped when that bag has saved our lives a couple times. "I'm ready when you guys are."

I let out a sigh. "Let's get this over with."

Leatherhead puts a hand on my shoulder. "Do not worry, my friend. You will not be there long."

"I hope you're right," I tell him with a smile. I get down on my knees and look at the small turtle behind me. "You be good for Leatherhead, alright? He may look kind of scary, but he's really a big softy. Like Raph!" Raph snaps something at me but I don't pay attention to him. Instead, I lift of a fist for a fist pump from Leo. He looks at my hand to his own, before making it into a fist and hesitantly touching. It was more of a fist touch, but I don't mind. I give him a smile before standing up and stepping back to give the others room to say their goodbyes.

Donatello puts a hand on his shoulder and says "We will get your mom back" with a smile. Raph rubs his head and says "See ya, kid" before standing next to Raph. I watch as Leo's gaze turns to Master Splinter. My father takes a step forward to him. I don't know what he was planning to do next, but before he has a chance to do something, Leo runs up to him and hugs his legs tightly. At first, Sensei stands there in shock, not expecting his sudden movement. Then, he leans over to hug him back.

"You're coming back, right?" I hear Leo whisper. It makes my heart break a little at the fear and uncertainty in his voice.

"Of course, my grandson," Splinter replies. "We will not be long and we will return home to you and your mother."

"And Leatherhead," Leo includes quietly, causing my father to chuckle.

"Yes, and our friend Leatherhead."

When Master Splinter lets go of Leo, we start to head towards the exit of our Lair. I turn around to see Leatherhead talking to Leo quietly on his knees. As my friend talks to him, Leo's eyes stay on me and the others. For a moment, I see a flash of a memory or something of Leo, my older brother, standing there, biting his lip nervously as he watches me and my brothers leave, obviously wanting to join us but unable to. I shake my head and focus on the path ahead of me. I let out a small sigh. This is it, I think. Let's go pay the Shredder a visit.

 **A/N: OH MY COOKIES THIS CHAPTER JUST WOULDN'T END! I hope you guys are happy! You can** **thank Sairey13** **for making me bring the Mighty Mutanimals into this story** **;). I wasn't originally going to put them in this story, but after she mentioned a few ideas, I couldn't resist. Sorry if they seem (or will seem) out of character though...I also apologize if this chapter got really confusing! If you thought it was confusing, PLEASE let me know! I'll try to fix it all out! (Anyone getting annoyed at me apologizing, yet? I feel like I do so much. ;P)** **Oh! And I want to thank DP fanboy for the idea of April trying to fix Miwa's mind.** **:) :) :)**

 **ALSO! If any of you have an idea on what the Shredder did to make Leo afraid of heights again, please let me know. I have an idea, but it's not dramatic or anything! So if you have an idea, let me know. Even if I don't use it, I'm sure it will still be a big help! :) :) :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I want to thank you guys so much! This story is getting closer and closer to 100 reviews! I'm also glad you guys have been reading my huge author notes and give me awesome ideas for the story! I LOVE knowing what ideas you guys are thinking of and your opinions on what has happened! :) :) :) And I'm SUPER sorry for the long wait! I haven't been in the best of moods lately and I've been having a hard time finding the motivation to write. Enough about me, though! Here's your chapter! (Sorry if this chapter is kind of crappy towards the end! Kind of rushed it!)**

 **Review Replies for Chapter 16:**

 **Sairey13:** **I'm also excited! Waiting anxiously for the next chapter ;). As for your idea, that is actually something very similar to what I thought of ;). I might just have to go with something like this unless something else comes up. Thank you for the help! I love how you always have a fun idea for me to work with! As for character deaths...I can't reveal anything, but you can read to find out! ;) (Also, LilyTheNinjaGirl wants me to tell you she said thank you for giving me the idea to bring the Mighty Mutanimals in this ;) )**

 **Insanity21:** **I'm glad you enjoy this! The fan-girl in me couldn't resist in adding cute moments between the Hamato family ;) And they are leaving Leo alone with Leatherhead who is part of the Mighty Mutanimals, so you will kind of get to see ;)**

 **BubblyShell22** **: Huh, I have not thought about Rockwell trying to help Miwa, too. I have added that into the chapter! It's not very long, but Thank you so much for the idea! :) If you have any other suggestions for what should happen in the story, please let me know! Thank you for the compliments and here is an update!**

 **LilyTheNinjaGirl** **: That story is awesome! And I'm glad you really like this one too! :). Mikey says, "What up?" and wants to give you a cyber high-three! Oh! I like where you're going with this! I have seen that episode in the 2003 version, which kind of gave me this idea. I like Leo having some kind of fear that he doesn't really like talking about. I might end up using one of the ideas you mentioned if you don't mind! Thank you sooo much! :) :) :)**

 **tmntlover2013:** **I'm glad my story isn't confusing you, that is something I kind of worry about when I'm writing. And here is an update! :)**

 **pollielobster:** **Thank you so much for the idea! I love it! I'm thinking about combining your idea along with a few other ones I have thought of or others have mentioned. Again, thank you for the review and the idea :) :) :)**

 **Disclaimer:**

 **Donatello's P.O.V**

"This is it," Raph says, his voice sounding like it normally does when he's in his "Leader Mode."

We have decided to make a plan on a rooftop a few streets away from the Shredder's fortress. It feels like forever since I have seen the tall, dark building. Too bad it couldn't be longer.

I could practically feel the anger, rage, and bit of worry coming off my friends as the building came into our sight. In fact, I'm having troubles of my own keeping my emotions in check. Not only is this place where the guys that creates all our problems live, but he also took my Sensei's family away from him as well as my big brother.

"Here's the plan," Raph starts, pounding a fist into his palm. "One group will be keeping the Foot busy at the front of the building while the other group sneaks inside and searches for Stinkman's notes."

"Stockman," I hear Mikey say quietly before he gets a smack.

"We can contact each other using the T-phones," I interrupt, lifting up my phone for them to see.

Slash steps forward. "Me, Pete, Mikey, and Raph will distract them at the front. Master Splinter, Rockwell, and Donatello will sneak in the back and into the building."

After we all give a nod in response, Master Splinter steps forward. "Good luck, my friends. Keep each other close and keep in contact."

As my friends give him a nod as well, I can't help but wonder if my father is nervous about all of this. It's not that I blame him, but I have never really seen my father truly worried and concerned, except when we first went to the surface. He usually keeps his emotions and feelings to himself, putting others before himself. I guess that's where Leo got it from…

We give each other a quick "Good luck" before I follow Rockwell and my father. Finding the entry point me and Rockwell talked about earlier, we stay in the shadows while we wait to hear the sounds of a battle. As soon as we hear it, we will have to be quick. Slash, Mikey, Raph, and Pete won't be able to handle all of the Foot clan for long; besides, I really don't want the Shredder to fight them himself. That is one thing I'm really hoping won't happen tonight. I pull out my T-phone that shows a map Rockwell and I was able to grab. The map isn't a hundred percent accurate nor up-to-date, but it's better than nothing. I can feel Rockwell look over my shoulder, but I don't do anything. This is stressful and nerve-racking for all of us; I believe we can both silently agree not to pick on each other tonight.

Raph's and Slash's yell pierce the air, causing me and my group to spring into action. My father carefully removes the small window as Rockwell and I watch the alley to make sure no one is nearby. Sensei probably has the most stealth out of all of us, making him the perfect choice to quietly remove the window. Even though it's super small, being ninjas enable us to become flexible enough to get inside. I allow my scientist friend to go first before I follow close behind him, sending my father a reassuring smile.

The hallway is almost just as dark as it is outside, only a few bulbs lighting up the building. Hearing my father come in behind me, I glance down at my phone before pointing towards the hallway on our right. Rockwell gives me a silent nod of understanding before cautiously heading that way. I follow behind him, my father trailing behind me.

There are only about seven Foot soldiers that got in our way, so far. With Rockwell's telepathic abilities and my father's and my ninjutsu skill, they were fairly easy to take down. Not only that, but I'm sure the Shredder has most of his focus on trying to find Miwa and Leo. After a few minutes of going down hallway after hallway, I no longer have to look at my phone to know where I'm going. I have been here before and it's hard to forget a place like this. Before I know it, I have kicked down the door to the Lab. Silence fills up the room and I can't find a person in sight. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, I'm not sure, yet.

"There's no one here," Rockwell says, his eyes closed. That is one of the most obvious signs he is using his abilities. "I wonder where Stockman is. After all, he does not have the physical ability or bravery to fight against the others."

"No, but there are a list of possibilities on where he is," I answer, cautiously walking towards Stockman's large desk. A part of me wonders why Rockwell and get Stockman's name with ease while me and my brothers struggle every now and then. "He could be with the Shredder, hiding away from the fight, getting materials for his next crazy project, there is a list of possibilities."

Walking over to Stockman's desk is a complete mess. Chemicals, notes, and a few experiments are spread out everywhere, covering every inch of the metal table. Compared to this, my lab looks spotless! I take one end of the desk while Rockwell takes the other. I know Master Splinter wants to help us, but he doesn't really know what we are looking for. It's like a mechanic telling a teacher to give him a Torx screwdriver. Instead of helping us search through the desk, he keeps his eyes and ears open for any unwanted guests, standing tall in a defensive stance.

"It'll take us forever to find anything in this mess," Rockwell starts, reading my own thoughts as I stare at the desk. Wait, was he reading my thoughts?

"The Shredder still believes Miwa is his daughter," Master Splinter says over his shoulder. "Baxter Stockman's notes on her must be in an important or special place. Somewhere he will easily see it, away from his other experiments?"

My eyes scan over the papers, reminding myself we have to be quick. After a few seconds of not seeing anything that pops out, I go to some of the drawers underneath the flat surface of the desk. The first two drawers contain information on the brain worm we dealt with a couple years back and the Shredder mutants. It all seems like a lifetime ago. In the third drawer, my curiosity is peaked when there is a large CD case. Picking up, I don't see any labels. When I open it, I still don't see any labels, but there is four CD's inside. Listening to my gut, I put the case in my bag before continuing my search.

After a few minutes, I look up at Rockwell, thinking. April has tried to fix Miwa's mind, but I forgot Rockwell has powers, too. There's also the possibility that Rockwell is able to bring my sister back. No offense to April, but I think he has more control over his powers than she does. I open my mouth to say something, only to stop when he looks up at me with sad eyes. My guess is that he has read my thoughts and knows exactly what I have been thinking. Based on his eyes and face expression, I'm not going to like his answer.

"I mostly won't be able to help Miwa," he says, returning his gaze to the messy desk. "Based on what you have already told me, her mind sounds too unstable. I believe it will be better on both of us to create a cure rather than trying the easy way out. After all, we are already here." Before he can say anymore, a lightly buzzing catches my attention.

"What-zzzz are youuu-zzzzz doing in my lab!"

My eyes widen when I look up to find Stockfly flying above our heads, fists clenched at his sides. Diving towards us, he starts to spit out acid. Thanks to being raised as a ninja, I carefully move out of the way as I take out my Bo staff. I watch him turn in the air, coming back towards us. This can't last forever; soon, someone's going to hear us and get suspicious. This is suppose to be a quick in-and-out mission, not a battle.

"I shall distract him," my father says behind me. "You two must continue to find anything you can on Miwa."

I answer him with a nod before looking to Rockwell. We nod towards each other before running back towards Stockblock's desk, avoiding the acid falling from the sky. Hearing the sound of a battle behind us, we start throwing things around, more determine to find the notes and throwing caution out the window. As I throw the last of the papers on the floor, I look up at Rockwell and I know we are thinking the same thing. We are running out of time.

"Where would you put something so important?" Rockwell ask, obviously frustrated as he looks around. "I can't find Stockman's mind, he's too focused on other things and he has it hidden deep in his mind. Give me a couple more minutes and I can maybe-"

"Wait!" I interrupt, the gears in my head turning. "I have a better plan."

Rockwell's eyes widen a bit before giving me a determined nod, reading my plan from my mind. I look to Stockbug before lifting up my arms.

"Hey! Mixter Stockplan!"

"It'ss-zzzz Baxter Stockman-zzz!"

Why can we never get it down? "Sorry, we have been working on it, though. Anyway, how about we make a deal?"

He stops in the air, the only movement is his wings flapping crazily and his head twitching. "What kind-zzzz of deal?"

I smile, my confidence in this idea growing. "Look, you want to be turned normal again, right? Back into a human?" When he doesn't give me an answer, I know I am right on the dot. "I created a retro-mutagen before. I'll give you the formula to make it and you can leave Shredder's grip once and for all and live a happy life far from here!"

"And what-zzzz do you get out of thiss-zzz?" he asks, knowing there is a catch someone in my deal.

"All I want is all the notes you have on Miwa."

"Her mind has become unstable," Rockwell explains. "The mutant and animal instincts are winning over her sane, human side and we have to turn her back before it's too late."

Stockman lowers himself so he is only hovering above the ground. "Write-zzzz down-zzz the formula firs-zzzz-t. Then I'll s-zzzz-hare the note-zzz with you."

Smiling to myself, I look to Rockwell to find him already handing me a piece of paper and a pencil. I tell him and my father to watch the door before I get to work. Focusing on my work, I try to write as quick as I can while making my writing readable. The clock in my head is practically telling me that I'm running out of time. I quickly have to banish all the thoughts of me being too late from my mind; I know if I focus on them too much, I might start to get worried and unfocused. Sticking my tongue out, I try to ignore the annoying presence of Stockman looking over my shoulder, buzzing lightly.

"Can you be quiet for a few minutes?" I snap at him, allowing my emotions to release slightly.

He lowers his shame like a kicked puppy and hovers to the other side of the room to busy himself. Letting out a breath to calm myself down, I get back to work. First, I write down all the ingredients he needs. Since we have never been able to go to school, Master Splinter and the Internet has taught us everything we know, so I have been able to do a few labs most people would do in school. Writing down all this information reminds me of writing a lab report for one of my assignments. After the materials, I start explaining the procedure and showing the equations that explain my work. Since I have created some retro-mutagen as a teen, I have been able to perfect it more these years. Now, it should work quicker and better than it has before. Of course, I'm not going to tell Stockman I have never tried this perfected version on a human being, or a mutant that came from a human.

"There we go," I breathe out, putting down the pencil and holding up the paper to look at. I hear Boxman give a small, excited shout as he zooms toward me. Of course, I move the paper out of his path before he can grab it, causing him to crash into a few of his own experiments. "Now," I start, folding the paper in half, "the notes on Karai."

Stockman grumbles slightly before lifting himself off the ground and flying towards a stack of cardboard boxes. Once he pushes the boxes to the side, a small keypad is revealed.

"The Shredder-zzzz wanted me to keep z-it-zzzz in a different location than my other works-zzzz. He told me-zzz to keep it locked up and safe-zzzz," Stockbug explains as he types in a code into the keypad. There is a small beep before a square piece of the wall extends outwards a bit. After lifting up, a small notebook with some papers sticking out is shown for everyone to see. Baxter grabs it before flying back over to us. "But, I won't have-zzzz to worry about-zz it-zzz if I leave here as a human-zzz."

I give him a warm smile. Even though he isn't really a kind, generous person, he also isn't a super villain. He's just a smart guy who wants to be appreciated for his work. I guess I can understand him. As he hands me the notebook, I give him the paper. Mentally, I'm feeling a bit proud. He actually trusts me that everything I wrote down is right. Maybe being good has it perks after all, huh?

As we do the trade-off, Stockfly flies towards the ceiling. Before he goes out of sight, he turns to look at me, Rockwell, and Master Splinter. "I would leave-zzz if I were you-zzz. The Shredder can come-zzz any minute now-zzz."

I give him a thankful nod. "Thanks," I pause, "Baxter Stockman."

Even though he is a fly mutant and can't really show emotion on his face, I'm sure he would be smiling. He gives us one last look before disappearing, maybe forever. I'm not sure whether I hope I see him later, or never again. Although, I do hope he finally finds something good in his life. After all, he had become almost a slave for Shredder and his goons.

I look down at the notebook in my hands. The scientist in me wants to read through it right now, getting all the information I can! Of course, the rational side of me knows we have to get out of here now. Carefully putting the notes in my bag, I pull out my phone to dial my brother's number on speed-dial. Concern starts to grown in me as the phone rings for a third time. Then it rings for a fourth; now a fifth…

"Don? You get it?" I hear Raph ask on the other end of the phone.

"Yeah," I tell him, closing my bag and sending Master Splinter and Rockwell a nod, telling them I'm ready. "How are things at your end?"

There was a loud, battle cry in the background, practically answering my question for him. "Pretty good," he says, and I can practically hear the grin on his face. "It's mostly Foot soldiers. Probably won't be too much longer before the main course starts coming out."

"Well, hopefully we can dash-and-dine out of here before that happens."

Master Splinter opens the door to lead us out of the Lab, only for us to be greeted by an army of Foot soldiers with Rahzar and Fishface in front of them, smiling at us wickedly. I swallow hard, realizing the only way out of here was to fight.

"On second-thought," I tell Raph over the phone, "we may be a bit. We'll meet up with you in a minute." Before he can give me a reply or argue, I put away my T-phone to pull out my Bo staff.

"Stay close together," my father tells us while we get into a battle stance.

"Attack!" Rahzar yells.

The enemies lunge towards us as I lift up my Bo staff defensively, praying this is as bad as it gets tonight.

 *******Raphael's P.O.V*******

I growl slightly as my phone beeps, telling me Don has hung up on me. Hopefully he, Master Splinter, and Rockwell haven't ran into something they can't handle. Luckily, there are plenty of Foot soldiers I can smash my fists into to release my worry and anger.

My face stretches into a smile as I watch Slash swing his mace, knocking four goons out of our path. Our goal is to look like we are trying to break into the front. Once Donnie was done getting the notes, we talked about pretending to retreat and failing to get anything. Even though retreating was never my thing, hopefully it will make the Foot think they are beating us and get overconfident or something.

As I send another rough kick towards a Footbot, causing it to fall back and hit the ones behind it like Dominoes. Hearing my brother's famous battle cry, I move a bit so he lands behind me, covering my back. Luckily, there's not too many yet and our shells aren't press together, giving us plenty of fighting room still. I can hear him take down a couple Foot soldiers as I block a sword aimed for my face.

"So what's the news on the guys?" Mikey asks over his shoulder behind me.

Slashing the robot's chest in front of me before throwing it at another one, I answer with a quick, "They're being held up, but they said they'll meet us here when they are done!"

"They were jealous we were having all the fun." I can hear the smile in my brother's voice.

"I hope they hurry up, though," I hear Slash say to my left. I can't really look at him since I'm still in battle with a couple more 'bots. "More Foot soldiers are coming and who knows what Shredder will throw at us next."

"Um, like a giant cat with a jet pack, two guns and a sword?"

I take a chance to look behind me where my brother was looking. Sure enough, Tigerclaw comes flying in, landing on his feet and turning off his jet pack once he reaches the ground. Tigerclaw's physical appearance hasn't changed over the years. He still carries a ton of weapons (usually his ray guns or a sword) and hasn't lost any more body parts since he lost one of his eyes. However, he has been close to losing one of his arms before.

"Cover for me," I tell Mikey quietly. I can see him nod from the corner of my eye as I walk toward the cat mutant, my brother and I basically trading spots. "I'm glad you're here, Tigerclaw. I was wanting to give everyone of you some payback to what you have done to my brother and Miwa."

I could swear he flinched a little at that. If he did, he covers it up well and charges for me. I give my Sais a twirl before I meet him halfway. The kick I send to him is dodged. He tries to get behind me and fire at my shell; luckily, I dodge it at the last second. As we continue to fight back and forth, I realize he is mostly going on the defenses and attacking me less and less. Just as my mind starts to plan on how I can use this to my advantage, I here Slash give a loud shout. On instinct, I turn my head towards my friend. He's holding his left arm with three Kraang in front of him, all of them holding a laser gun. When did the Kraang actually work with the Shredder like this? I don't think I have ever seen a Kraang come out of the Shredder building before…

Tigerclaw uses I moment of concern for my friend to his advantage and gives me a powerful kick to the chest. The force from the kick makes me land on my shell, hard. Air rushes out of my lungs as I try to get my vision straight. Shaking my head and remembering how to breath, I watch as Tigerclaw walks up to me and points one of his guns at my head, one of his feet stepping on my chest.

"You are tired and still just cub," he says in a low, dangerous voice. As an answer, I glare at him. I'm not going to argue that I'm tired. The Foot-bots have been stronger lately and I just had to fight a ton as a distraction. However, it makes me super mad he calls me a cub. It's been like six years and I'm now twenty-one, you can't call me anything else? "However," he says, leaning towards me and speaking in a quiet voice, "the Shredder has been doing dishonorable things to a small cub, your brother." My eyes widen. Was he actually apologizing for hurting young Leo? "I have a guess you are here to somehow help him or the serpent girl, Karai. I will let you escape this time, Turtle. Do not believe I will do this again."

Before I can give him a thanks, a reply, or anything, he jumps off of me. He gives me a small smile before he presses something on a band on his wrist. All at once, the Footbots we have been fighting freeze up, their eyes glowing red. I see Slash open his mouth to say something out of the corner of my eye. No words come out before all the robots start walking back into the Shredder's Lair.

"Uh, did we just win?" Pete asks while flying above Mikey's head.

"Say your brother hacked into the system," Tigerclaw says, turning on his jet pack. "Leave as fast as you can, before Master Shredder comes out himself." And with that, he flies off towards the tall building in front of us.

"What just happened?" Mikey asks, blinking at me in confusion.

"I think Tigerclaw just helped us out," I say quietly, shaking my head as I try to get rid of the shock of it all. "Come on, let's go meet the others on the other side of the building."

"Where they went into the building?" Pete asks, not fully getting it. I give him a nod as I pull out my phone, dialing Don's number to let him know what we are doing.

"Hello?" I hear Don ask, noise behind him as he talks.

"Where are you?" I ask, wanting to get straight to the point. "We're getting ready to meet up with you."

"No need."

Before I ask him what he means, I hear people behind me. Turning around, I find Master Splinter, Rockwell, and Donnie, hanging up his phone. Slash gives the command "Let's get out of here," before we talk off to the roofs. Even though no one was following us, we continue to run over rooftops for a few minutes. As we run, my eyes carefully scan over my family. It seems like a couple scratches are all we got, nothing serious. I mentally sigh in relief after making sure my family is okay.

After Master Splinter and Slash stop in front of us, we stop, too. I put my hands on my knees taking a couple deep breaths. My ears catch my team doing the same. There is a soft thump behind me and I find Mikey sitting down on the roof, resting his arms on his bended knees.

"Been awhile since we've done something like that," he says with a grin. The grin starts to slowly fade into a serious expression. "So what all happened back there? And how did you guys getting the notes go?"

Rockwell starts to explain their story while Donnie starts skimming through a notebook that, no doubt, contains the notes to help my sister. Rockwell says how Stockman actually gave it to them in return for the formula to return back to normal. I guess the lame scientist wanted no part of this life anymore. After Baxter flew off, Rahzar, Fishface, and some Footbots got in their way.

"The Foot soldiers straightened themselves before walking out of the door," Rockwell finishes with a confused look. "Fishface and Rahzar blamed us for it and attacked us without the help their minions. We fought them for a while before they were knocked unconscious or down long enough for us to escape. I'm still perplexed on why the Foot soldiers retreated, especially when Rahzar and Fishface didn't plan it."

"You can thank Tigerclaw for that," Slash answers, looking around to make sure we weren't followed.

"Tigerclaw?" Splinter asks.

"Yeah," I say, straightening myself. "He said what the Shredder has done to Leo wasn't honorable and he didn't like it. Tigerclaw hit something that made all those bots return to the Shredder's Lair. He said he was still our enemy, though."

"Hmm." Master Splinter strokes his beard. "Perhaps Leonardo's and Miwa's capture has affected they way Tigerclaw sees the Shredder. Leonardo has informed me that Tigerclaw did not harm his as much as the others."

I tighten my jaw as Splinter explains. My mind pictures Shredder and his goons hurting Leo, both as a kid and a teenager. They aren't human to just sit by and let all that happen. Even if one of them has enough sanity to see it's wrong, it still doesn't make them innocent. Looking up at the starry night sky, I take a couple calming breaths. Getting upset and angry will do nobody any good. However, the next time I see them, I'll make them regret it.

"Come on," Don finally speaks up, closing the book and putting it in his bag. "Let's go home."

Home sounds really good right now.

 *********Leo's P.O.V******* (After everyone left)**

After my uncles and Master Splinter, the alligator guy, Leatherhead, and I kind of stand there awkwardly. Besides my family watching over me, I have never had a babysitter. I don't like me being alone without my family; I don't know this guy and who knows what he is capable of doing. However, no matter my opinion on this, I don't really have a say in the matter or a choice. The only thing I can do is pretend like I'm having fun and try not to worry too much over Mom.

"So, Leonardo," Leatherhead starts. I look up to him and realize this is probably just as awkward for him. He probably hasn't watched a lot of mutant turtles like me. "Why don't we play a game?"

"What kind of game?" I ask. When me and Mommy were in the Room, she would play a few games with me. Then, my Uncle Mikey showed me there were games on the...TV that you can play. A lot of people must be bored because there are a lot of games to play!

"We can play," he trails off, looking around. I look around, too, but I don't find anything. I'm about to ask him what he is looking for when I realize he is looking back at me, his eyes are lit up. "We can play hide-and-seek?"

I hesitate. "I don't know how to play that…"

"I have not played it either I am afraid," he says with a small, maybe sad smile. "But I believe I know the rules. One will hide in the Lair while the other searches for them after counting to a certain number."

After a few moments, I give him a small smile. It sounds fun, and I have always been pretty quiet so hiding should be pretty easy! "Okay," I say after a minute. "We can try it!" After a bit of hesitation, I ask, "Can I hide first?"

As an answer, he gives me a warm smile and a nod. "Yes. I shall count to ten while you discover a hiding place."

Giving a nod of understanding, I turn around and take off while I hear Leatherhead counting behind me. Scanning around the Lair, my mind goes through all the places I can hide at. After a few moments of thinking, I turn around and allow a small smirk to cross my face. Right beside the TV is a blanket that is simply lying there. I quickly race over there and put the blanket over me, spreading my limbs so it would, hopefully, look more like the folds of the blanket instead of a small body. I create a small opening so I can see Leatherhead's feet when he is by me.

I hear him reach the number one before I can hear him move. Smiling, I hear him walk closer to me. He hums lightly to himself, probably looking around the Lair. I bet he wasn't expecting me to be this quiet, huh?

His feet get close to me and an idea appears in my head. I grab his foot with my hands, leaping out of the blankets. "Gotcha!" I cry out jokingly, smiling as I look up at him. I expect to hear him laugh and say "Good job" or something. When I see his face though, my smile goes away. My grip on his foot loosens and I realize I'm backing up into the blanket a bit.

Leatherhead's eyes are white. He looks at me with a serious expression. I picture a couple of the mean people looking at me like that. They always gave me that look when I had to be quiet as they take me away from Mommy. Then, they would hurt me. I don't know why they did, but I didn't like it. Shaking my head, I tell myself that this is Leatherhead and he wouldn't hurt me. Right? I guess I never met him before so I don't know. But Uncle Mikey says he's his friend.

No, he won't hurt me. I don't know what, but something tells me he doesn't mean to hurt me; but, I can't stop feeling a bit scared.

"Leatherhead?" I ask quietly, afraid on what he will say or do.

He is very still as he looks down at me. I don't move either. We stare at each other for a few minutes before he blinks a couple times. After a bit of blinking, he turns to look at me with his normal, green eyes. They look wide and nervous, but they are friendly eyes! Knowing it's safe, I finally blink my tired eyes and swallow. I was too afraid to move earlier so I couldn't do it then.

"Leonardo?" He looks down at me, looking worried and concerned. I can't stop myself from backing up into the blanket a bit when he kneels to the ground in front of me. He looks sad. "Did I hurt you?' he asks after a minute.

I shake my head, swallowing again. Gathering up my courage, I lean out of the blanket so I can look up at him better. "Are-are you okay?"

Letting out a small sigh, he shifts so he's now sitting more comfortably. "I am now," he says, looking down at the ground.

"What happened?"

"Do you remember the Kraang, Leonardo? The robots with the pink creatures inside?"

Shuddering a bit, I nod. I didn't see them very much, but they hurt me. They worked with that fly, smart guy usually, giving me shots, nasty stuff, and other things. I don't like them.

"They have captured me when I was very young. They did horrible things to me. Thanks to them, I sometimes lose control over myself, hurting the ones I care the most about. When you jumped out and scared me, I lost control."

I blink at his story. He was captured, too? He was hurt by mean people? "Kind of like me?" I can't help but ask. After all, the only other person who is like me is Mommy. I have never met anyone who was taken and hurt just like me.

As an answer, he gives me a small smile. "Yes, I guess it's like how you have been taken by the Kraang."

I think that over a minute before I tell him that I'm sorry for scaring him. This causes him to chuckle and say, "Do not be, my friend, you did a good job hiding." I'm not sure how, but after a few moments, I realize we are now in front of the TV. Uncle Mikey probably told him I like 'Space Heroes' because Leatherhead put it on the TV. This time, I wasn't watching it. Instead, I was talking to Leatherhead. He tells me stories about how his friends helped him get over the bad memories. His stories make me smile and I wonder if my new family can help me like that.

At that though, I look over to the room where Mommy was in. My uncles have been gone for a while. Mommy also has been very quiet. Maybe I can go check on her when Leatherhead's not looking? I'm sure they won't mind, they didn't actually tell me I can't see her. No one will notice if I'm gone for a few minutes.

"I'm going to use the bathroom," I say, turning my head from the door to Leatherhead. Before I can slide off of the couch though, I feel a large arm wrap around my stomach. Looking down at the hand, I follow it up to see Leatherhead looking down at me with a stern look.

"Leonardo," he starts, "I know what you are doing." His face softens as he puts me back in my spot on the couch. "Wait until your family returns, then maybe you can see your mother. I'm sure they will be here shortly."

Letting out a small sigh, I nod and lean my head on his shoulder. I feel him tense underneath me, but I don't do anything about it. After learning he was like me, I don't feel that uncomfortable around him. Not too much longer, I feel Leatherhead wrap his arm around my shoulders. Staring at the TV, my mind starts to wonder. I don't even notice my eyes slowly closing and my breath evening out. I think I hear Leatherhead say something, but I'm too tired to ask what he said. Instead, I watch as a dream starts to play, almost like a movie in front of me.

 **A/N: You have no idea how many red underlines I got after writing all the incorrect ways Donnie says Stockman's name ;P. Stockman helping the guys and Tigerclaw starting to turn kind of nice are some ideas from Sairey13. BubblyShell22 also gave me the idea on Rockwell helping out with Miwa's mind. Keep them coming, I don't mind a bit of help with making a story ;). Again, sorry for the long update. I also apologize for the ending being kind of rushed. I was running out of ideas to do and I also just had a hard time with the ending for some reason and I just wanted to get it done. Hope it wasn't too bad. Anyways, please review! I see you people out there not reviewing! Yeah, I'm talking to you! ….Please review with cherries on top? ;P ;)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer:** **Since I have a nasty habit of forgetting them, I DON'T OWN anything or anyone from the TMNT UNIVERSE! There we go ;)**

 **Author Note:** **You guys still out there? I went on vacation and now I'm determined to work on this! And then...I got sick...and other stuff happened...Again, I'm super sorry for it being late and everything...hope it's worth the wait! Hopefully I won't keep you waiting as long for Chapter 19!**

 **Review Replies from Chapter 17:**

 **Insanity21:** **Haha! Sorry for the wait! Don't blow up everything! Do you know how much Kraang technology I have stashed? It was very hard to get ;)**

 **Sairey13:** **Hello again! As you will read, I used a bit of your idea with Raph not being thrilled about Leo with Leatherhead. I hope I'm just not doing the whole "Raph being uncomfortable with little Leo" thing too much. As for Leatherhead, I have pictured him being able to control his anger/the other side of him better after 5-6 years. The Mighty Mutanimals (however, probably mostly Slash) has helped him a lot over these years. As for Miwa's healing progression and the formula...well, you'll just have to read to find out ;)**

 **tmntlover2013:** **I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! Hope this chapter is good and sorry about the wait!**

 **BubblyShell22:** **Thank you for all your compliments! And hopefully I will be able to squeeze in more "Nice Tigerclaw" moments in later chapters! Here is the next chapter! :)**

Master Splinter's P.O.V

I doubt there is any feeling better than returning safely to your home. The left over tension from battle has disappeared into the air as pass the turnstiles. However, my heart beat increases slightly when I do not hear any voices from my friends and family.

"We're back!" Pete yells, filling the silence with his loud voice.

"Welcome back, my friends."

Turning my head towards the voice, I find Leatherhead looking at us over his shoulder. He gives a warm smile before gesturing to something behind the couch and out of our sight. Michelangelo is the first to move besides him. Immediately, his face forms one of his familiar and joyful smiles. Giving a small "Awe" and whispering something, he pulls out his T-phone. I move my gaze quickly before a small flash appears from his phone. My family and friends behind me, however, were not as fortunate as I, letting out small groans. Hearing Leatherhead chuckle and watching my son's bouncing form, I allow myself to be slightly curious as I go to them to find out what has caused them to act this way.

I find Leonardo leaning against Leatherhead, his face pressed against his body as he sleeps deeply. (Leatherhead appears to look out of his comfort zone under gazes I can't help but notice.) My heart is pulled slightly as the memories of my sons sleeping next to me reappear in my head. However, as quickly as the peaceful memories came, they are quickly replaced. Memories of my once strong, oldest son sitting with his brothers, training with his brothers, and laughing with his brothers. All the skills and tasks my sons has accomplished and learned are now nothing more than stories. I am afraid, the thought and memories before my son was taken from me saddens my old heart.

I have a feeling Raphael feels the same way. When I turn to look at him, I notice him glaring at the two forms on the couch. He doesn't say a word as he stands there with crossed arms over his chest, but his eyes are speaking for him. They hold both anger and sadness. Slash must have noticed this as well, for he takes a step towards Raphael and puts a hand on his shoulder. My son does not give any response except for his eyes moving to the side, unable to look at the scene before him any longer. Even though I wish to help my son, slash sends me a look that tell some he will talk to my angered child. In response, I give him a nod of thanks before returning my attention to the other people in my home.

Donatello, with Rockwell behind him, heads straight to the lab, not even paying attention to the scene on the couch. I am proud of my son for being so dedicated for fixing my daughter, but I sometimes worry about his health and state of mind. If he does not take a break, he may lose himself. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Raphael and Slash walk towards the kitchen, probably to talk about Leonardo's change. Their friendship makes me proud and smile; they trust each other deeply and always have each other's back. As for Michelangelo and Pete, they continue to talk to Leatherhead and talk about my grandson.

Looking at the clock, I find it to be almost one-thirty in the morning. My sons normally go on patrol between 11:30 and half past noon. Tonight, we have been gone for three hours, deserving a well-rested sleep.

"I believe we should get ready for bed," I interrupt the group in front of me.

"I agree with Master Splinter," Pete says with a yawn. "I'm pretty tired after today."

Michelangelo tells them good night, giving Leatherhead a pat on the shoulder during the process. I watch my son travel up the stairs before closing the door quietly behind him. Listening closely, I can hear the faint sound of his radio playing, the only way he is able to sleep. As Leatherhead moves to stand from the couch, to get ready to leave our home and return to his own, Leonardo jumps with a start, his eyes wide and fearful. His eyes dart rapidly across the room, as if trying to piece together where he is. Concern fills me at his actions as I come to the conclusion that he has (or almost experienced) another nightmare.

I let out a small, sad sigh. How much longer are these dreams going to plague this child? Kneeling down, I look at him with gentle eyes. "Leonardo," I start softly, "would you wish to stay with me for the night?"

He nods, moving away from Leatherhead to give him more space to get up. Leatherhead gives him a farewell as well as a pat on the head. My friend also promises that he will return to visit Leonardo, causing a small smile to cross my face at their new friendship. Pete quickly chats with the small turtle on the couch as I walk towards the Lab to tell Donatello "Goodnight" and Rockwell that the others are getting ready for the return home. As Pete's voice grows distant, I wonder with Leonardo is truly listening (or can keep up) with his words.

In the Lab, Donatello is looking over the notebook with Rockwell besides them. Surrounding them, is chemicals, papers, and other scientific equipment. After the current stressful events have passed, I will make sure to have my son clean his lab. Even if my sons are full grown adults, they are still my sons as I am still their father.

"I believe the others are getting ready to leave, Dr. Rockwell," I announce, my voice sounding louder than I have attended due to the silence. However, I was able to get the scientist's attention. He gives me a thankful smile and a nod as a farewell. As he leaves the room, I walk over to my son, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I am going to bed and Leonardo's joining me. You should go to bed soon, as well."

My son nods, not even looking from his work. "I won't be too much longer, Sensei. I just got to look at this a bit and try out a few experiments."

Shaking my head, I continue to watch my son. He often has a tendency to stay up later than he originally plans. One of my sons (normally Leonardo) and sometimes myself have had to practically drag my son from his lab into bed. When Donatello was younger, I had to lock his lab at night, for reassurance he would not work on something in the middle of the night.

"Donatello."

My voice causes him to turn and look at me, his face showing curiosity. I guess he expected me to just leave and go to bed without a second though. Although, this time, I wish to stay. Maybe I will be able to hint to my fear of losing my brilliant son.

"I know you really want to fix Miwa and return Leonardo to his previous form; however, I want you to allow your body and mind to get the rest it needs. Sometimes, we are giving problems that are unable to be solved."

My son looks down and I can see him understanding the ugly truth behind my words. He gives a nod before looking up to give me a smile. "Don't worry, Master Splinter. I'll make sure to get some rest."

The hope in my son's eyes and words causes a light, small smile to cross my face. Giving him a final bow, I make my way out of my son's lab. Even after hearing the hope my son has, I can't help but be hesitant on my own hope. I know I probably won't be able to handle them being crushed again. I did not want a to feel what I felt when my sons can home to inform me Donatello's retro-mutagen failed to work on my daughter.

Walking out into my home, I find the Mighty Mutanimals walking towards the exit. Leonardo watches them from the couch while giving them a shy smile and a small wave. Raphael stands beside him, his arms crossed over his chest and giving his friends a smile. As my friends' eyes land on me, they bow their head to me.

Replying with my own small bow, I tell them, "Thank you for everything you have done, my friends. I know we would not be where we are today if it weren't for you."

"It's no problem, Master Splinter," Slash says in his rough voice. "Keep us updated on everything."

"And if Donatello needs some help," Rockwell adds, "let him know I am willing to help him however I can."

I answer them with a warm, thankful smile before giving them another nod. Watching them leave, the actions from today start to catch up to my old body. Letting out a small sigh, I turn to find Raphael walking towards his bedroom while Leonardo is getting Kino from the pile of blankets and pillows he has been using as a bed. I tell Raphael, "Good night, my son," as I watch his figure fade into the night shadows that are starting to surround our home. The only thing keeping us from being in the dark in a couple lights being on (including the light illuminating from Donatello's lab) as well as a couple candles I have in the Dojo.

Raphael replies to me with a "Night, Master Splinter," before I hear his door close. With one hand on Leonardo's shoulder, I lead him to my bedroom. It did not take long to find myself laying in my bed with Leonardo close to my side, cuddling close. I think it is obvious he is dreading to go to sleep once again. Knowing I would have to reassure him before I can sleep, I let out a small sigh and turn to the small turtle.

"Did you have a nightmare earlier, Leonardo?" I ask.

"Almost," he says, staring at my robe while playing with it between his fingers. "I woke up before I saw what was going to happen, but I know it was going to be bad."

I nod. "Well, you will have to go to sleep sometime, Leonardo," I state, my own body feeling more exhausted than it did moments ago.

In response, he lets out a sigh in understanding and dread. "I know."

I rub his shell, trying to give him some comfort. "I know you will be able to face these demons, child. I will be here to help you along the way."

Nodding, moves closer towards me. "Do you have nightmares?"

I swallow when I remember a couple nightmares I have had in the past. Some nightmares, I would dream of the Shredder killing my sons, sometimes in front of me and sometimes while they are on patrol. Other nightmares would involve my wife, Tang Shen, or my daughter, Miwa. There have also been haunting visions of myself losing control to the mutant part of me. Instead of telling Leonardo all of the horrors I have seen in my sleep, I tell him "Yes, everyone experiences a nightmare at least once in their life."

"What do you do after a nightmare?"

His question causes me to think. Sometimes I would go get some tea. There have been a few times when I have simply returned to my bed, knowing that it is a mere nightmare. I even find myself training in the Dojo or reading a book until I hear my sons noisily wake up.

Finally, I think of probably the best answer to give to the small mutant turtle. "I remind myself that they are nothing more that bad dreams. Then, I go seek comfort and reassurance in my loved-ones around me."

 **Michelangelo's P.O.V**

I hum quietly as I sit on the couch to watch anything good playing. After all, Raph will no doubt fight for the TV once he gets his lazy butt up. Finding a channel that seems interesting enough, I pull out the classic PB-and-J I made for breakfast and start to eat it. This morning, we were able to sleep in a bit more than yesterday and I was feeling super lazy as soon as I got out of bed. When I'm having a lazy morning, I simply have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

After taking a couple bites, I realize there is the sound of small breathing that didn't come from the TV. Being on high alert, I cast my eyes around the room, trying to use my ninja senses to find out who was in the room with me. Finally, my eyes land on the figure and I smile. Sure enough, it was little Leo simply sleeping, buried under a large pile of blankets. A smile crosses my face as I realize how cute he is sleeping; but, wasn't he suppose to be with Splinter?

Curiosity getting the better of me, I get up to find my father. Walking towards the Dojo, I notice how dark it is, besides a few flickers of light. Opening the door slightly, as quietly as possible, I find him meditating in the center of the Dojo. His chest moves as he breaths in and out deeply, candles at his side. Their soft glow doesn't light up the entire Dojo, but it shows enough. Not wanting to bother him any more than I (probably) already have, I quietly shut the door before heading back to my comfy, warm couch and my very awesome TV.

Plopping my butt on the soft cushions, I start to eat the other half of my sandwich, watching the colorful images flash across the screen. I enjoy days like this. Days like this kind of feel like when we were teenagers. Man, that seems so far away! Laying around all day and enjoying ourselves, not worrying about the jerks above the surface. It was just us and the sewer walls. Honestly, I don't know if I would prefer that life. Don't get me wrong, I love fighting the bad guys and helping people, but sometimes I wish we could just keep to ourselves.

It wasn't until I hear the change in Leo's breathing till I snap out of my thoughts. His breathing, once steady and calming, are now quicker and a bit more shallow. Looking down at him, I notice his face is scrunched up and he is turning his body more. You don't need to be a genius to realize what is going on: another nightmare.

The idea of waking him up and the idea of waiting for him to wake up fought between each other in my mind. However, it didn't last for more than a couple seconds before I move to kneel down besides the little turtle.

"Leo," I say softly, not wanting to freak him out too much. It doesn't seem to have any effect on him as he starts to mutter something and move more. Deciding enough is enough, I shake him lightly and call his name a bit louder, telling him to wake up. I am considering on going to Master Splinter when Leo bolts upright, gasping for breath with wide eyes. Trying to comfort him, I lay a hand on his shoulder, only causing him to jump before looking at him, his eyes starting to fill with tears.

"Hey, are you okay?" I ask, mentally smacking my head. Of course he is not okay, Mikey. Little kids shouldn't be having nightmares like this every night!

Leo looks up at me with another small gasp, his eyes glittering with the unshed tears. Before I can realize what is happening, he leans over quickly and hugs me with all his might. Thanks to it being so sudden and random (which is usually my job) it takes me a few moments before I wrap my arms around him, trying to make him feel better and give him a bit more comfort.

"Everything's okay, Leo," I try to reassure him. "You're here with us now, we won't let anything bad happen to you."

I feel him shake his head against my chest. He mumbles something but I can hear what he is saying. Keeping my hands on his shoulders, I pull him away so I can look into his eyes. His eyes show fear and sadness as he tries to avoid my gaze. Wiping away a few tears that have managed to fall down his cheeks, I ask him to repeat what he said. At first, I wonder if he heard me; but, before I can repeat the question, he looks at me and swallows hard.

"It's not me I'm worried about."

I have to fight the sad smile from crossing my lips. Once Leo, always Leo. Instead, I watch him closely, showing him I want to help him. "What did you see?"

Again, he swallows hard. "We were running across really tall buildings. It was me, you, Uncle Raphie, and Uncle Donnie; and, I wasn't afraid of the heights. That was kind of cool. Then, some bad guys were attacking us, and a big sign feel on you and Donnie and Raph. I couldn't get you out, but I had to leave. I had the Sharp Man's hat in my hands and I had to take it somewhere. You told me to leave you, and when I did, the Fish Guy started to stab the building, trying to hurt you guys. I left you alone! And he was hurting you! I woke up so I don't know if you died or-"

I pull him back into a hug, wanting to stop his ranting. "We're okay, Leo," I say, rubbing his back comfortingly. "It's only a dream, we know you would never leave us like that." Even though I remember that memory quite well, I tell him it was "only a dream" anyways. After all, Leo left us because he knew Fishface and the others could really hurt us. In fact, Raph just threw down a smoke bomb and we were able to find a way out before taking off. It was no big deal. I'm guessing, though, that Leo's nightmare exaggerated the memory, making it seem far worse than it really was.

"...why would I have the Sharp Man's hat?" Leo says after awhile.

I'm not sure whether he's talking to himself or to me. It was quiet, but loud enough for me to hear. His voice also sounds like he is calming down a lot: a very good sign. After a few minutes, I decide to answer his question, whether he was looking for an answer or not.

"Maybe because you were going to beat him in a battle?" I give him the possibility.

He looks up at me with a bewildered look. "I don't think I could take him down."

Giving him a smile, I wrap my arms around him and say playfully, "A sneaky ninja like you? Don't think Leatherhead didn't tell me how you beat him at hide-and-seek! And with your awesome family of ninjas by your side, we can TOTALLY take him down!" I tickle his sides, trying to lighten the mood for him.

His laughter fills the Lair and it sounds really good; maybe a bit of laughter is what this place needs right now. After my evil fingers stop their playful dance, Leo turns around and gives me a happy smile. I only have time to return the genuine smile before I once again find his arms wrapped around me. Smiling, I return his hug, feeling almost like I am his older brother rather than him being my older brother. If things keep going this way, maybe getting use to Little Leo won't be so bad.

 **Donatello's P.O.V**

Hearing our the laughter of the smallest member of our interesting family brings a smile to our face. Just a few minutes, I woke up to work on the notes a bit more before officially starting my day. It kind of helps me wake up my brain and gets it started up.

Licking my fingers, I turn another page of Baxter Stockman's notebook. Even though it often takes me a bit to understand the words he wrote due to his shaking body as a fly, I enjoy taking in everything I can. Living with my brothers and father, it has been hard finding someone to listen, even more understand, what I'm saying. Once we got to the surface, it was like a new door has opened, allowing me to share my knowledge with people with the same interests.

After reading just a couple pages, it has become clear that Miwa has been suffering from these mutant episodes for a long time. Sadly, the notes don't say anything about the difference between her mutation and the normal mutation, but it is obvious something has been modified or went wrong.

A beeping from my computer causes me to snap out of my thoughts. Finding one of the small lights on my computer blinking, I can't help but grin and shake my head good-naturally. The light indicates that someone is trying to video-chat with me, and there is normally one person who does that. If it's not April, it's probably Rockwell wanting to know more about the notes, himself. Giving my arms a final stretch, I walk over to my computer and plop into my chair. I turn on my computer before pulling up my video-chat. Sure enough, I come face-to-face with April O'Neil.

"Hey, April," I greet with a smile. "What are you doing up this early? I was expecting you to sleep in as much as possible."

"Getting up early every morning for school makes it hard to sleep in," she replies with a smirk. "Besides, I don't want to waste the day away. How's everything on your end?"

"Pretty good here. I'm in my Lab looking over Stockboy's notes. I just heard Leo laughing a bit ago so I have a good feeling today will be a good day."

"Aww! He's so cute! Maybe I can come over again," she says with a smile. I can't help but chuckle myself; after finding my older brother in this new state, I knew April would definitely freak with him. I'm sure in no time Leo will be as use to April as he is to us. April's face turns more serious though when she asks, "How's Karai-I mean, Miwa doing?"

I allow myself to turn more serious as well. "Okay, I'm looking in the notes to find a way to cure her. I asked Rockwell if he could try to mentally fix Miwa's mind like you tried to, but he said it's probably too corrupted, or something along those lines."

Getting up from my chair, I walk over and grab the notebook I left on the counter. Even though I know she can't see the notes well on her computer screen, I return to my seat and show her how many and how chaotic the notes are. Her eyes widen slightly before I lower the book once again, my eyes glancing over it.

"Hopefully, Stockman was able to think of a way to cure her, or at least provide enough information for me to find a way," I say, my eyes still skimming the book.

"Well, I'm always here to help Don," I hear April said. "I may not be a genius, but two head are better that one."

I'm about to respond to her statement, and even thank her for her offer, but a couple words cause my mouth to close. I can practically feel wires connecting in my head as my eyes continue to travel the page. My heart leaps for joy but also panics as I think of the following results. The process would also take forever. But it is it the only way? It can't be, can it. According to this, it might be. How will the others react?

"Donnie? What is it?"

With wide eyes, I look up at April. "I know how to fix Miwa." As the words come out of my mouth, though, they don't sound as joyful as I originally thought they would.

 **A/N: Hey, old friends! Being the evil author I am, I have decided to wait till the next chapter to tell you what is concerning our genius turtle and how he will fix our serpent friend! Hopefully, my mind will get into gear and I will bring up the next chapter quicker! Reviews are very much appreciated! Please let me know if this chapter was good and if there is anything I need to fix. Leo's nightmare/memory is from the episode "Legend of the Kuro Kabuto" in the 2012 series.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer:** ***sigh* No… *evil grin* One day...**

 **Author's Note:** **SOOOO sorry for the long update. A lot of personal problems are happening here is the world of reality so I'm having trouble finding time and energy/will to write. But, I will do everything I can not to abandon this story! Also, someone said they think this would be good in an online FF competition! That so made my day! Sadly, I don't think it will be done in time, but I will start keeping my eyes open for more future competitions. Also, THANK YOU all for how much support you are giving this story! There are now 103 reviews so far! Yay! Enough chat! Enjoy the chapter!**

 **Review Replies for Chapter 18:**

 **LilyTheNinjaGirl:** **This chapter is made out of extra love to bring you back to life! ;P I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Sairey13:** **I like the idea of Leo having a dream that brings him closer to April! I might try to do that since I didn't really know how to get them close together. But don't worry, there will be plenty more nightmares that keeps him up. I don't think he will have a dream of Tang Shen, but I have thought of giving her a surprise appearance in a future chapter. As how Donnie is going to fix Miwa...stay tuned to find out! ;)**

 **pollielobster:** **Hi again! No sneak peeks! You gotta keep reading to find out ;)**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Thank you! Here's an update! :)**

 **Raphael's P.O.V**

I give a growl mixed with a groan when I feel someone shaking my shoulder. Hoping they would just go away, I reach my hand over to smack the person's hand. Feeling my hand smack another hand, I mentally sigh in relief when I don't feel fur on the hand. If Master Splinter was trying to wake me, I know I would have to get up; if it's one of my brothers, I'm sure I'll be fine.

A sigh fills the peaceful silence that once filled my room. "Come on, Raph," I hear Mikey say next to me. "Donnie is calling a family meeting." In response, I roll over and give another growl. After all of the events that have recently happened, we haven't had our regular training with Master Splinter. This means that we get to sleep in more than normal, and I want to take advantage of that. However, once I don't hear Mikey's voice for a few seconds, I know something is up. Before I can even open my eye to see what's going on, I feel ice cold water fall onto my face, dripping and running off of it. The shock of the water causes me to sit up with eyes wide open. Turning, I find Mikey still beside me, giving me a smirk, with a small turtle waiting by the door. If the squirt wasn't here, I probably would have tackled my brother to the ground and make him regret.

The anger must have been obvious because Mikey tells me, "If you would have gotten up when I told you, I wouldn't have to go to extreme measures." Even as he says it, he has a large smile on his face, proving he regrets nothing. I might have to fix that later… "Family meeting in the Lab," Mikey continues.

"What about?" I ask, rubbing my eyes and removing all of the water from my face.

He shrugs, unsure. "Not sure, Donnie didn't say." And with that, he heads towards my door.

It doesn't take me long to get around, especially with the curiosity of wondering what this meeting is all about. Within minutes, I'm heading down stairs my gear and mask on with my weapons in my belt. In the Lab, the light is on and my family is already there. Master Splinter stands by Donnie and Miwa. Across from him is Mikey with Leo beside him. I notice Leo glancing towards Miwa, who is lying still on the table. Donnie is leaning against one of the counters, looking down at the floor. He seems to be kind of nervous as well as deep in thought.

"So," I say, walking into the Lab, "what we here for?"

Don looks up at me, and I don't like the look in his eyes. "I found a way to get rid of Miwa's mutant episodes, for good."

"Um, did I miss a previous family meeting?" Mikey asks after a few moments. "Isn't that suppose to be a good thing?"

Don glances up, looking at every-single one of us, including Miwa. "Based on Stockman's notes, the Shredder considered changing her back before and had Stockman look into it. I don't think he actually came up with a solution to fix her problem. He didn't have all the resources he needed. The only way to save Miwa from becoming a mutant with little to no sanity is to change her human."

At first, I'm wondering what is wrong with that. If Donnie says he can fix Miwa, then he probably has enough info to finish up the retro-mutagen for her. Besides, wasn't that our goal from the start: to change Miwa back to a human for Sensei? It's not until I follow everyone's gaze do I understand. Leo, the small turtle who has been practically raised to avoid humans at all cost. Now, Miwa is going to become one of them. Of course, Miwa/Karai being human isn't new to us; but, after Leo's memory has been erased, this is a whole new ball park for him.

Leo's face is pale and his eyes are wide. He watches Donnie for a moment, almost as if waiting for him to say that it was all a joke, before turning his gaze to Miwa. I see him swallow before turning back to Donnie. As he nods in determination at Don, I can see my older brother for a minute. Putting other's needs before his own, saying the plan is good and we should follow it. Seeing that nod reminds me how much I have missed my brother doing that.

Don gives a nod in understanding before going off on how he will fix Miwa. The finishing touches for the retro-mutagen will take a couple days. Then, you have to add a couple more days; Donnie says the process of Miwa turning human and regaining all her sanity will take a while. Luckily, D says that she won't be asleep during the whole process, meaning we can talk to her and keep her updated during it all. Of course, I think it would also do the kid some good to see Miwa again.

I find myself glancing at him from time-to-time, checking on him. His face is still a lighter shade of green, but it looks more like its original color than it did a few moments ago. He is watching Miwa closely, only glancing up at Don every couple of minutes. The small turtle kind of making me nervous. He had a hard time with Case' and April, how will he react to this version of Miwa? Sure, it's his mom and he is use to her, but still. After being in New York as a mutant turtle for my whole life, I know appearances can be pretty important to some people.

The rest of the meeting goes by in a blur. Donnie finishes talking, Master Splinter says we shall get started tomorrow and that we will all help, we go to eat a late breakfast (or early lunch) and now we are sitting quietly in the Dojo. Master Splinter wants us to go through a meditation session, saying that calming our minds and stuff will improve our performance on the task tomorrow. Normally, I am all against these stupid meditation sessions. Even after having to be the older brother for years, I like to ask questions with my fists. Today, though, I don't mind. Everything just seems to go by too fast. Finding Leo and Miwa, Miwa having the episodes, raiding Shredder's lair, then turning Miwa into a human. You think we deserve a break by now.

Opening my eye slightly, I look around the small circle of my family in front of me. Donnie is to my left, his eyes closed as he breathes deeply. Even though he appears to be in a deep, meditative state, I can tell his mind isn't empty. Under his eyelids, his eyes are moving back and forth, almost like his is still thinking of some crazy formula or experiment. It has always been hard to get D to take a break and clear his mind. I remember Master Splinter leaning towards Donnie when we were kids and lightly smack his shoulder or clear his throat.

On my right is Mikey. When we were kids, me and him caused the most trouble during meditation sessions. I did it to be rebellious, Mikey did it because he can't sit still. Whether it has tapping his fingers against his knee or his foot tapping the Dojo floor, he would constantly be moving. Heck, I saw him swaying one time! Over time, though, Mikey has been getting better at meditation. After Leo disappeared, Mikey became the best one at it, besides Master Splinter, of course. Right now, he sits tall and focused. His eyes are closed lightly, seeming deep in thought. If you wait long enough, you see his face twitch, the corners of his mouth turn, or even his eyes dart under the lids.

Next to Mikey is Leo. He seems so small sitting between Mikey and Master Splinter. Even as a kid and coming back not too long ago, it looks like he has already mastered meditation all over again. His breathing is light but even and calm. Besides breathing, he almost seems like a statue. Of course, his form isn't perfect. He's not sitting completely straight and, like Mikey, you can find him moving slightly. His skills are still impressive, though, especially at his age.

Finally looking over, my eyes meet with Master Splinter, who is looking back at me. I give him a sheepish smile, one he returns with a genuine smile. Something passes between us; the proud sensation of looking out for our family. The moment doesn't last long before he shifts slightly and closes his eyes, returning to his meditative state. Taking that as a sign to do the same, I let out a peaceful sigh before copying his actions. Letting out a peaceful sigh, I allow my mind to wander and become clear.

After the short meditation session, D immediately returns to his lab. I'm not too surprised when I find Master Splinter follows him. My guess is that Dad wants to help return his daughter back to normal as much as he can. As for me, I end up watching a movie on the TV. Today just feels like a day not to train, but to relax. Besides, in no time, I know Master Splinter will start training up again; might as well enjoy it while I can. Within a few minutes, Mikey comes to join me on the couch while Leo sits on the floor in front of us, playing with his plushie elephant and an action figure Mikey found when we were little.

The Lair is pretty silent for the rest of the day. Mikey has been trying to get Leo into a better mood, but I guess Miwa being a human has really shaken the kid up. As you would expect, Donnie stayed in his Lab most of the day; Master Splinter didn't leave till after supper, saying he was going to meditate more before walking towards the Dojo. Honestly, I believe extra meditation for Dad is simply taking a few minutes alone. And me, I basically have been keeping to myself, focusing on everything around us. Even after talking to Slash, I can't picture my big brother being a small turtle. Maybe that is why I have been kind of keeping my distance from the kid. That, or I'm afraid. Could I be afraid to help the same person that has helped me through tough situations? What if I mislead him and hurt him? Did Leo think these things? Am I really met to be a big brother?

Time flies me as the questions continue to appear in my head. Before long, Mikey has put Leo to bed and told me goodnight. Turning off some old movie playing on the TV, I get up from the couch and head to my brother's lab. Donnie is no doubt still up and working on turning Miwa back. There is no way I'm going to let him just stay up all night.

I knock lightly on the door to the Lab, but I don't actually wait for a response. Opening the door, I find Donnie leaning over some science equipment. The muttering under his breath reaches my ears and I can't help but smirk at the fact he is talking to himself. Moving closer, I watch his hand scribble something down on a nearby notebook, not even looking up from the equipment.

He jumps like he just had a heart attack when I tap his shoulder lightly. I can't help but laugh at his actions, which only earns me a glare from him. Still chuckling, I pat Donnie's shoulder playfully. It's always fun when he is off in his own little world and you can scare the crap out of him.

"What do you want, Raph?" he asks, sounding slightly annoyed. Don's tone doesn't faze me though since I know he will get over it in a couple of minutes.

"I think it's time you go to bed, Genius. Master Splinter will have your hide if he finds you up any later than you already are."

Donnie groans before looking turning to write something down. "Fine, fine. I'll head for bed." I stand behind him with my arms crossed as I wait for him to finish. It didn't take long before he put down the pen and went to work cleaning up. If I knew where any of the stuff, I would have helped.

"How's it going?" I ask, breaking the silence.

My brother sighs. "Slower than I would like. There are a few more chemicals I need to add into the retro-mutagen before I can give it to her. I also have to find a way to make sure it won't hurt her during the transformation."

Nodding, I follow him as he puts the last of his equipment away. "Just tell me if there is anything I can help with. You don't have to carry all of this on your own."

D sighs again. "I know, and sometimes I forget that. Hopefully, after I find out everything I need to know, I can get Rockwell over and he can help me inject it into Miwa. I might have to have you there with us in-case things go rough. If you get what I mean."

"Yeah," I say, not needing an explanation. Basically, I'll be the muscle in case Miwa freaks out or something. Stopping outside of Don's door, I tell him "Night" before turning off the lights to his Lab. My eyes glance at the still Miwa before I shut the door behind me.

It takes only a few minutes till I'm in my hammock, swaying back and forth while staring at my ceiling. Letting out a sigh, I let my eyes drift close. If I don't get sleep soon, I know I'm going to regret it in the morning. Luckily, it doesn't take long for my mind to fall into darkness.

 **Leo's P.O.V**

" _You did this!"_

" _You let us down, bro!"_

" _Some leader, huh?"_

" _It's all your fault!"_

I gasp loudly and sit up. Hugging Kino tightly, I feel some tears fall down my cheek. This nightmare was awful! It was dark, the Sharp Man was there, and no one would help me! More than anything, I want Mom. Who cares if it sounds babyish or anything? But, Mom is sleeping, and I shiver at the thought of her turning into a human like those mean people. Sniffing and wiping away any tears that are still on my face, I look to the Dojo doors. Maybe Master Splinter can help? After all, he has helped a lot already.

Quietly, I open the doors to the Dojo before walking towards Master Splinter's door. I hesitate before knocking quietly three times. After a few minutes of no answer, I try again. Then, I whisper his name. Sighing, I quietly open his door. Just as I open my mouth to call him, I stop. I can see him, his back is to me as his body moves as he breathes. His deep, steady breathing can be heard from where I am standing. Standing there for a few minutes, I decide not to bother him. I have bothered him enough already, he deserves some sleep. Holding Kino tightly, I shut the doors and make my way back to my pile of pillows and blankets.

Wiping my nose with my elbow, I look towards Uncle Raph's door. I can't go to Uncle Donnie; I would have to pass Mommy and I really don't want to that right now. Maybe I could go to Mikey? He's been with me a lot more than Raph has; but, should I really go talk to him even more? What if he gets tired of me?

 _Talk to Raph,_ I can practically hear a gentle voice in my head. Gathering all my courage, taking in a deep breath, and holding Kino a bit tighter, I walk up to his door. His door seems very tall and scary once I reach it, but I know I'm not afraid of the door. I am, sadly, afraid of what's inside. Uncle Raph has a temper, I know it. Will he use that temper on me since I woke him up?

Letting out a small sigh, I knock on the door. The Lair fills with silence and I don't hear an answer. Daring myself, I knock on the door again. No one answers. Swallowing hard, I reach up to turn the knob before pushing open the door quietly. Once the door is open, I see his head lift up. He's awake.

"Uncle Raph?" I ask quietly. The small ray of light from the door shows him rubbing his eyes as I hear him groan and yawn.

"What?" He sounds annoyed.

I swallows hard. Will he mad at me for waking him up just for a dream? Maybe I shouldn't have even bothered him! I'm already here though, so I decide to go on. "I had a bad dream," I explain. "I usually go talk to Master Splinter, but he wouldn't wake up."

Raph groans again and I hear him mutter something under his breath. "Look, it's just a dream, okay? It's not real. Now, go back to sleep." After he says it, he rolls over, covering himself with blankets.

Part of me wants to tell him how real they feel. I want to tell him how afraid I am. I'll be alone, where anything could happen. Those Shiny Men could come and get me. The Smart Guy could make me eat bad stuff and do mean things! What if the Sharp Man hurts me or Mom again? Even though I can feel my legs shake a bit, I don't say anything. It's obvious Uncle Raphie is tired and doesn't want to help me; besides, I'll just sound like a baby. Swallowing all the thoughts in my head and the words I want to say, I quietly shut the door as I head back to my bed.

Once I get there, under my blankets, I realize just how many shadows there are. Ninjas use the shadows; how many ninjas could be in the shadows right now? Noises can be heard from above my head. Normally, I hear those noises every night (Uncle Donnie told me once that it was just water or humans driving in cars) and they never really bothered me. Of course, I had someone to help me if something bad happened. Now, the noises sound louder and meaner. Unable to hide my fear any longer, I throw the blanket over my head, clutching Kino to my chest with all my might.

 **Raph's P.O.V**

Even though I sound like a jerk, my first thoughts when Leo entered my room were probably "Really?" and "You're waking me up for a dream?" When he quietly left the room, though, guilt started to sit in me. I remember moments in the past when we were little and I would have a nightmare. As a kid, I didn't want to bother Master Splinter and I didn't want him to know how much dreams were bothering me; although, now I'm pretty sure he knew about my nightmares. After bad nightmares, I would always find myself running to Leo. He would hold me tight as I would cry into his shoulder, letting me stay in his room with him for the rest of the night.

That's why, I'm lifting my tired body off of my hammock. Stretching my arms, I can hear them give small pops. I have to give my eyes a good rub to make sure they stay open as I make my way to the other side of my bedroom. Thoughts travel to my head as I start to think about what to say to the tyke; or, what would my older brother, Leo, do? Swallowing hard, I finally come up with one of the greatest plans as I open my door. Just to wing it and hope for the best.

Walking into the living room, I can practically hear his breathing. Whether it's because of my ninja hearing, he's scared, or maybe it's even my imagination, it still seems so much louder than it should. Walking around the couch, my eyes meet the small lump underneath the pile of blankets. For a few seconds, I just stand here, trying to think of something to say without scaring the crap out of him. Lucky for me, his head shoots up, his eyes wide as they land on me. The expression on my face remains neutral as he starts to calm down and rub his eyes quickly. I catch a small hint of pink around his cheeks as he lowers his head back to his pillow, bringing his plush elephant close to him. Letting out a sigh, I walk over to him before lowering myself to the floor, my back leaning against the couch.

"So," I say after a few moments, "you said you had a nightmare?"

"I would have gone to Grandpa," he says quietly, his eyes not meeting mine, "but he wouldn't wake up. I feel bad for bothering him a lot or else I would have called him louder or something."

"It's okay," I say calmingly, stopping him from ranting anymore. "I'm sure I can help you out just as well as Splinter."

That causes a smile to cross his face. I can't stop from swallowing a bit nervously, though, as he scoots a bit closer to me. Fortunately, he doesn't notice. Still, I don't understand why I am so nervous. There have been moments when I had to comfort Mikey and Donnie before, why should this be any different? Is it because he's younger and still a little kid? Maybe because this is Leo and he should be my big brother?

"So, what was your dream?" I ask quickly, wanting to stop my nervous and slightly aggravated thinking.

I notice he bites his lip before opening his mouth to speak up. "It was dark," he starts out slowly. "I didn't know where I was. Then, I saw you, Uncle Mikey, and Uncle Donnie; except you looked different. Your eyes were black and you didn't seem happy. You all looked upset." Leo moves closer and lays his head on my chest. Wanting him to be in a comfortable position, I shift further into a laying position. "You and the others were yelling at me, telling me it was my fault. Even though I couldn't see them, I heard Grandpa's and Mom's voice too. I don't know what I did, but I failed you all." Burying his head further into me, he closes his eyes while saying, "It was all my fault."

"You don't even know what happened, though," I say, slightly confused. "How do you know if it was your fault?"

Leo's only response is a shrug and I can feel his shoulders start to shake. Letting out a silent sigh, I rub his shoulder with my hand. His dream sounds slightly familiar. Years ago, me, my brothers, Casey, and April faced a mutant mushroom. It would cause us to experience one of our greatest fears. We didn't really talk about it to each other after we headed back home and continued with our daily lives; but, I do remember Leo being slightly more out of it for the rest of night. It was actually Mikey who asked us what we saw. The only response from Leo was a shrug and "Just me losing you guys." Of course, we all had a good idea what his fear was. He would always baby us and feel guilty for every little thing, after all.

"Hey," I say after a few moments, "look at me." Looking up, I can now see the water in his eyes as his bottom lip starts to tremble. "You could never fail us, alright? All of us, me, your uncles, your mom, and Master Splinter, we all love you. And we are very proud of you."

A smile crosses his face and a hopeful look appears in his eyes. "Really?"

I roll my eyes but the corners of my mouth turn upward. That's all the answer he needs before wrapping his arms around me. At first, I can't move, taken aback by his action. Slowly, I swallow hard before wrapping my arms around his small body.

After a few moments, I remove my arms and say "Don't get use to this mushy, lovey stuff, though, alright?"

A light laugh can be heard from Leo as he pulls away from me, the smile on his face still bright. It is quickly replaced by a large yawn in a few seconds, showing how worn out the squirt really is. His yawn makes me yawn, no matter how hard I try to contain it. After a few moments of thinking in the silence, I lift up some of the blankets before laying down next to Leo, grabbing a pillow to put under my head. I almost laugh when I turn to see Leo's eyes wide in shock, obviously not expecting me to sleep with him tonight.

"What?" I ask after a few moments of him watching me. "I'm tired. I'm not going to walk back to my room when there is a bed right here."

In response, he rolls his eyes and gives me a light smirk. For a moment, I see him. My older brother, Leonardo. I watch the turtle closely, looking for the brother I knew and love. Yet, as he lowers himself and gets himself comfortable before looking back at me, I can no longer see my Leonardo. It's the little tyke, scooting close to me for warmth and comfort. Trying my best not to show my disappointment on my face, I move to get comfortable before closing my eyes.

"Do you think Mommy will still love me?"

I blink at both hearing his voice break the silence and his question. Looking over, I notice how his face seems distant and sad at the same time. How can he think about this? It's his mom! Of course, I have to remember he is still a little kid. Sometimes this is just how the mind works. Instead of answering to his immediately, I turned over so I was facing him, now both of us resting on our sides. His eyes glance away from mine off and on, but I keep looking at him gently and closely.

"Why do you think she won't love you?"

"She'll be one of them," he answers quietly. "She'll be like the people back in the Room and that other lady."

I'm about to tell him that she isn't the Foot when I pause. "What do you mean 'other lady'?" I ask, not able to think of anyone.

"The lady that got hurt," he answered smoothly. "She got hurt by some mean guys. I wanted to help her up, but she screamed and pushed me away before running away, yelling. She wouldn't let me help her." Leo lowers his gaze again. "It kind of hurt."

Confused, I ask him, "When did you meet this lady?"

"I dream, I think," his answer is quietly, looking down at his elephant.

Swallowing, I continue to watch him closely. I'm not sure if the dream came from a memory or is just a dream the imagination of this turtle tot created. Leo has gone topside before on his own, probably stopping a few stupid people from doing something stupid or hurting others. Maybe something like that did happen to my brother in real life. We all knew we wouldn't be accepted by all humans, and I'm sure we all have experienced something like it. If the dream about this "other lady" was an old memory, my guess is that it may have bothered Leo more than he let on or that certain memory really scarred him. I might never know unless we get Leo, my older brother, back.

"Look at me, Leo," I repeat from earlier seriously after a few moments in thought. It takes him longer to look up at me, but his eyes soon meet mine. "Your mom loves you. She's your mom, and her looking different isn't going to change who she is, alright? I promise."

His eyes search mine for a few minutes before burying his face in my chest, his body close to mine. I hear him whisper "Thanks Raphie" before I feel his body relax against mine. Finally, I can sleep now. Smiling softly, I put my arm over him and pull him close, closing my eyes.

"Night, Squirt."

 **A/N: I hope this chapter was okay. Like I said earlier, personal problems are starting to occur more and more. But, I trust God and know he has a plan. Now, I should go figure out more of this story's plan! Hope the chapter was good and please leave a review or PM me! :) :) :)**

 **(I tried to get Raph to talk in this last author's note, but he wouldn't. Review and maybe I can get him to come next chapter ;P)**


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Note: I'm realizing how many times I have used Mikey's P.O.V...huh... Sorry for the long wait guys! I'm also starting to work on another story so, unfortunately, the updates probably won't come much faster. But, this chapter is here! So, read and enjoy!

 **Disclaimer: No ninja mutants around here sadly...except in this fanfic ;P**

 **Review Replies from Chapter 19:**

 **Remcicles:** **I'm glad you liked the chapter :). I also love Raph and Leo bro moments! Thanks for the review!**

 **Insanity21:** **Yeah, sorry for the long wait. I'm glad you really enjoyed Raph being a big bro to Leo though! Please don't die though! After all, there will be even more bro moments between the four turtles ;).**

 **Sairey13:** **I've never really realized that about Raph and hugs! But I like it :). And yes, Leo is afraid Karai/Miwa will act differently once she is a human, like the other humans that have hurt him. Leo might dream about Karai before she was truly Miwa, but I'm not sure. If he did, he probably won't realize that it's her...but we will have to see. Also, I don't think Miwa really has a choice on whether she wants to be human again. If they don't change her human, she would lose her sanity and hurt her family. Although, I do see her getting upset that she won't be able to help as much in the future ;). Thank you for the review!**

 **tmntlover2013:** **I'm glad you liked the Leo and Raph moment ;). And thank you :). Sorry this chapter is a bit late, but I hope you like it!**

 **BubblyShell22:** **Thank you for the compliment and the review! As for Leo turning back...you'll have to wait and find out ;). Sorry for the wait and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!**

 **Mewfem:** **Hey! Thank you for leaving a review! Here's another chapter because you asked nicely ;)**

Michelangelo's P.O.V

Stretching till my arms pop, I walk downstairs, hearing the silence that fills the Lair. It's early in the morning, but I couldn't sleep last night. There is also the fact that I'm craving pancakes something awful! If I don't get to the kitchen and make some soon, I'm sure I'll go crazy! Smiling at my own thoughts, I lightly jump off the last of the steps, landing like a small feather. Ninja skills; enough said.

My eyes look over to the living room and I pause in my movements. There, on the floor, surrounded by warm blankets and fluffy pillows, is little Leo lying next to big, tough Raphie, both sleeping like babies. The smile turns into a slight mischievous one as I start to think of where the camera is and how I can use it as blackmail in the future. However, my plan is interrupted by a low rumble coming from my stomach. Making the tough choice, I decide to get some breakfast before working on getting blackmailed for my wonderful brother. Trying to be even quieter than I was just seconds before, I slip through the room into the kitchen.

Even though the younger brother part of me is thinking about how I can make fun of Raph and stuff like that, I am also proud of him. It shows that he is getting through the whole "younger Leo" thing. The scene also shows the connection between them is beginning to grow. Again, a good sign.

Once getting into the kitchen, I find Master Splinter holding a cup of tea in one hand and a book in the other. Looking around, I notice how there is warm coffee in the coffee pot. Donnie has already been up and has gotten his coffee. I can't decide whether to let out an annoyed sigh or smirk. For years, my brothers and I have been picking on our genius brother about how coffee has become the new oxygen for him; however, we are concerned for him. At this pace, he's going to run himself down. Simply letting out a light, quiet sigh, I walk over to grab a cookbook from the cabinet. Even though the recipe to make homemade pancakes is practically scarred into my brain, I always like to double check I have it right. I really don't want to add too much salt and not enough flour or something crazy. And wasting all those ingredients if I do mess up? I'm pretty sure I would have a heart attack!

"Want a pancake, Sensei?" I offer quietly to my father. His response is a grateful smile and a light shake of his head. Returning to my cooking, I begin measuring the amount of milk before pouring it in and adding an egg. Turning to Master Splinter again, I ask him, "You see the two little angels out there?"

I can hear him chuckle slightly as I put the milk away before pulling out the dry ingredients form the lower cabinets. "Yes, I heard them talking last night a little bit; although, I was still slightly surprised to see them that way this morning."

"Honestly, I'm surprised Leo didn't come to you."

"He did," my father replies simply. "However, I knew Raphael needed to move forward and Leonardo needs to learn to reach out to others more. I believed the best choice was to pretend to be in a deep sleep so Leonardo would have to go to the closest person: Raphael."

"Well," I start, my gaze traveling towards the living room, "it worked, as usual."

My response causes Sensei to chuckle before taking another small sip of tea. For the next few moments, we enjoy each other's company in silence. As I finish up the pancake batter, I can hear Master Splinter turn pages in his book. I don't even need to look at the cover of the book to guess it has something to do with traditional Japan or something like that. Culture stories or folktales and history stories have always peaked the interests of my brother, Leo, and Master Splinter. It was one of the many things the two had in common.

After flipping the last pancake on a plate, I make sure my dirty dishes are moved to the sink while I make my way to the Lab to offer Dr. Frankenstein some food. Pulling out my T-phone, I take a detour to my sleeping brothers on the floor, wanting to snap a quick pic. Once I reach my brothers, I kneel down after pulling up the camera on my phone. Looking through the screen, I see two blue eyes staring at me with silent laughter. Smirking, I look over my phone to see Leo looking at me, a smile on his face. Busted.

"Good morning," I say quietly, lowering my phone. "Don't mind me; just trying to get some friendly blackmail."

He chuckles lightly before resting his head on Raph's chest. I can't stop my hand from quickly lifting up to snap a photo when Leo closes his eyes and yawns. Fighting the urge to send it to Raph and let him know I have a weapon or save it as my wallpaper, I decide to simply save it and decide what to do with it later. Leo might now what I did because once he opens his eyes and looks at me again, he sends me a playful glare.

"So, how long have you been up?" I ask, wanting to change the topic.

Shrugging slightly, he whispers to me, "For a while."

"You didn't get up?"

Another small shrug. "I don't want to wake Raph up."

Smirking I say, "Maybe I can help you with that, but you have to do me a favor."

He seems to hesitate for a minute before nodding with a smile. I think he has a bad feeling about my plan. Maybe he didn't lose his Jedi mind tricks when he changed.

"I need you to go into Uncle Donnie's lab and ask him if he wants a pancake once I get you out of your Uncle Raphie's grip."

"Okay," he replies quietly.

"Now, as soon as get his arm away from you, I need you to get up as quickly and as quietly as possible, alright?"

Raising an eye ridge at me, he reluctantly nods, a small but curious smile still on his face. As soon as he nods, I step over Raph before crouching to the floor again so I am at Leo's side. With great ninja skill and stealth, I slowly and gently lift Raph's arm that is wrapped around the little turtle. As soon as Leo is free of my brother's grasp, he quickly sits up and crawls away, giving me enough space to take his place. Feeling Raph's arm wrap around my shoulders, I see Leo covering his mouth out of the corner of my eye. Once making eye contact, I look at the Lab door, wanting to send Leo away before he burst out laughing and to let Donnie know breakfast is ready if he wants it. Giving me a nod with a hand still pressed tightly against his mouth, he quietly rushes to the Lab, shutting the door softly behind him.

As soon as Leo is away, I turn my head slightly to face my brother's sleeping one. Raph almost looks like a peaceful baby with his mouth open slightly as he lightly snores. This also simply brings memories of when me and my bros all slept together at night. Being little turtle tots, we all had a hard time sleeping on our own, but we were too big to sleep with Splinter. To not only seek comfort but also warmth (since we were low on supplies at the time) we often slept with each other on a big mattress with many pillows and blankets. At the time, it was kind of a struggle since we had to share room and blankets with one another; but looking back on it, it was cute.

I don't think it took Raph long to realize the change of the turtle at his side. The first hint I got that he was waking up was that his snoring slowly came to a halt. Feeling my brother shift slightly, I made my eyes land on his closed eyelids, staring at them hard. It's when Raph's eyes flicker open when it takes all my willpower not to smile or burst out laughing.

"You have such beautiful eyes," I say kindly.

Apparently my wonderful and kind compliment is not taken to heart, though, as my brother yells in shock before sitting up, scooting away from me. The look of pure shock, confusion, and hint of fear causes me to fall on my back and burst out laughing. Over my laugh, I hear a growl coming from Raph's direction. Moving with my quick speed, I dodge Raph's tackle before taking off into the kitchen, knowing Master Splinter will keep me safe in there.

By the time I reach the kitchen, you can hear the familiar and annoyed yell "Mikey!" coming from my hotheaded brother. Master Splinter sends me a look before returning to his book and tea, not commenting on the subject. Instead of saying anything to him, I just give him an innocent smile before setting the table up for breakfast. Raph comes into the room, looking mad and glaring at me before glancing at me. I'm pretty sure his eyes are silently telling me he'll repay me for that later, but right now I don't care enough to really be worried. After all, this isn't the first time I messed with Raph. As a response, I send him a large, cheesy smile.

Don comes in with a little Leo at his side when Raph rolls his eyes at my amazing smile and sits down. My genius brother looks slightly tired, but I think Leo coming in and offering breakfast cheered his day up a bit. A small smile paints his face as he comes sit down between Sensei and Raph.

Instead sitting down at the table with the rest of the family, Leo comes over to me, looking up with his big blue eyes and smiling. "Can I help?"

"Of course!" I reply to him with a smile. I would be crazy not to accept a bit of help, especially when it's a small turtle and he is willing to take some work off of my hands. It's only a few seconds before we begin forming a system. After putting a pancake on a plate, I would then hand the plate to Leo for him to deliver it to a person. Handing him the last plate, he holds it in both of his hands before walking over to his own seat. Decorating my pancake with tons of butter and syrup, I hand over the tasty ingredients to the little turtle across the table from me. Sadly, Donnie had to limit the amount of butter and syrup for the little guy since he's still not use to sugary or greasy foods, yet. I'm not worried though since I'm sure that will change pretty soon.

Not even bothering to cut it, I stab my fork in the middle of my pancake. As I lift it up, the delicious breakfast flops over the sides, some of the syrup falling to my plate. Taking a big bite, I smile and close my eyes. This is definitely what my I needed this morning! Opening my eyes, I hold back a smile as I see Leo stabbing his fork in the middle of his own flapjack, copying my movement from earlier. Before he was able to lift it, though, Master Splinter puts a paw over his small, green hand.

"I do not think it would be wise to copy Michelangelo's actions," he says softly as he removes Leo's fork from the middle of the pancake, his hand still over the small turtle's. My father's statement causes me to give him a not-so-innocent smile. Ignoring me, he instead shows Leo how to cut and eat his breakfast properly. As for me, I continue to eat mine the easier way, eating a couple of eyerolls from my brothers.

Donatello's P.O.V

After working in my lab all day, trying to create a retromutagen that would work for Miwa, breakfast put me (as well as the rest of my family) in a good mood. Mikey was being his goofy self, Raph was trying not to punch Mikey in front of Master Splinter, and it was almost normal. Of course, I can't ignore the fact that it is still slightly awkward to have your once older brother having Master Splinter help him cut his breakfast into smaller pieces.

Leaning away from the set of chemicals I have in front of me, I stretch out my arms and back. After Master Splinter informed us that we were going to have a small training session tomorrow morning, we went to go do our own thing. Raph left to go hang out with Slash and the rest of the Mighty Mutanimals, Master Splinter went to meditate and work on the lesson for tomorrow, Mikey and Leo went to play and watch a movie, and I started working again.

The sounds of Mikey playing with the younger turtle stopped about half an hour ago. Leo claimed to have a stomach ache and after giving him a good check-up, I was able to conclude that it was most likely due to the sugar in the pancakes. Even though he didn't have a lot, it was more than his body is use to. So, pausing from their game, Mikey put in a movie and sat on the couch with Leo at his side. Since then, the only sounds in the Lair are the TV and whatever small noise I make here in the Lab.

Letting out a small sigh, I push my chair close to my desk again, my eyes peering into the microscope I have in front of me. I have already talked to both April and Rockwell earlier today, letting them know I wouldn't mind having a little bit of extra help. There is also the fact I'm sure Master Splinter and possibly my brothers would I have killed me if I continued trying to work on this all by myself. As I expected, they did not hesitate to immediately offer their help. In fact, they mentioned coming over tomorrow after lunch. It's almost like things are slowly turning more normal around here by the minute! I think that's a good sign.

It's not until about an hour or two later till I am once again forced out of my world of science and technology. The sound of the coming footsteps has me turning to the open doorway to my lab to find Raph heading my way. Giving me a small half-smile as a greeting, he leans against the counter I have my equipment on. I have to fight the urge to yell at him to move, knowing he would only make fun of my geeky paranoia.

"The rest of the Mighty Mutanimals mentioned coming over tomorrow with Rockwell," Raph states as I scribble down a couple more notes.

"I guess the Lair is going to be pretty full tomorrow, huh? It'll be us, the Mighty Mutanimals, April, and Casey," I reply with a smirk.

"Well," Raph starts to explain, "me, Slash, and Case' will probably head out, you, Rockwell, and April will be in here doing science stuff, Master Splinter will probably meditate or hang out or something, and everyone else will be in the living room playing games or watching movies. I don't think it will be too horrible."

"True," I agree, closing up my notebooks and putting everything to the side. "Did you see if the two on the couch fell asleep?" I ask, noticing that I can't hear any voices pass my lab besides the TV.

Raph shrugs. "I think Mikey is starting to doze off; don't know about Leo, though."

With my brother trailing behind me, we walk out of the Lab to peer towards the couch. Sure enough, Mikey is sitting there, his head falling to the side as his breathing becomes deeper and even. Leo's head lays on his lap while the rest of his body is spread across the couch as far as his little green form will go. Wrapped in a blanket, his eyes are watching the TV with a mixture of curiosity and amazement. My own curiosity grips my mind and I move slightly to see what's on the television screen.

Zoomed in pictures of stars and planets are on the screen, revealing the hot gas traveling around them and making them what they are. It's a documentary on outer space and astronomy. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to see that on the screen; but, I'm not as surprised on why Mikey fell asleep. The only times he really watches documentaries is when he is upset or doing to hang out with me. Of course, if there was a documentary on super heroes or creation of comics, he would probably be glued to the TV.

Looking back at Leo, his eyes filled with wonder, got me thinking. I remember Miwa talking to me about how he has never been outdoors except when they were escaping. Learning about the outside world is probably something Leo really wants to do. Maybe he wants to learn about the stars, nature, and maybe even good humans and how they live their lives.

Turning to my brother in red, I notice his face wearing a look of confusion and curiosity. Obviously, he has not made the connection about our brother's - I mean nephew's - I mean Leo's curiosity and interest in the Earth.

"I have an idea," I tell him in a quiet voice. I don't want to advert Leo's attention to us. "But we are going to need to talk to Master Splinter and we need Mikey awake."

Raph's eyes narrow evilly and a smirk crosses his face. It is a look I have seen before and it honestly reminds me of the Grinch. Raising an eyebrow but not wanting to voice my opinion on his actions, I watch as he punches a fist into his palm. "Oh, don't worry about Mikey," he tells me through his evil grin, "I'll take care of him."

Not wanting to see what happens next to my sleeping and unexpecting brother, I quickly walk to the Dojo, moving quickly and trying not to look like I'm running away. Sadly, I don't think my cover-up worked, for I hear my brother chuckle behind me before he starts moving to the couch. Making it to the Dojo doors, I open them quickly and slowly, trying not to see too rude as I disrupt his meditation. Luckily, his already open us meet mine as I walk inside, showing me that he either already knew of my presence or he wasn't deep into meditation anymore. Just before I'm able to close the door behind me, I can hear my younger brother yelling at Raph.

As more noises from the living room meet my ears, I quickly close the door and pretend I didn't hear anything. I can't keep myself from sighing at my brothers' childish actions and I'm sure I see Master Splinter shaking his head silently from the corner of my eye.

Hours later, when twilight finally settles on the city above us, I find myself walking to the sewer tunnel leading out of our home. In front of me, my brothers and Leo wait for me to catch up with them. At the sound of me approaching them, Raph turns to look at me. With a smirk, he gestures to the small turtle next to him. Leo's eyes are wide and excited as he talks to Mikey quickly while almost bouncing as he stands. We didn't tell him where we were going, but I think the small turtle was excited to simply get out of the Lair and explore a bit. I think we are all excited.

"I hope you all have a phone?" Master Splinter asks, walking behind me to join us. His hands rest on his cane as he looks at us with old but gentle eyes.

"Hai, Sensei," my brothers and I state as Leo simply nods at Master Splinter. Part of me is silently hoping our father won't go through a whole list of what we should have or what we should do before we leave. I still remember when, at age fifteen, me and my brothers wanted to finally leave the Lair. Yet, there was Master Splinter, telling us to use the restroom before we leave because "the restrooms up there are filthy." The memory brings a smile to my face.

"We won't be gone too long, Master Splinter," Raph assures, slowly moving towards the exit. His movement only proves that Leo's not the only one excited to get out of our home for a bit.

"And call me if anything changes with Miwa," I tell Sensei. As excited as I am, I'm still nervous something is going to happen to my sister while I'm gone. I know it's crazy and highly unlikely, but I can't help the nervous energy the pools in my stomach.

My father, in response, nods and gives me an understanding smile. "I will see you soon," he says before turning around and slowly walking away. The four of us call out our own goodbye's over our shoulders as we quickly walk off into the sewers. It's not only me that has to hold myself back to allow Leo to keep up and not wear himself out so quickly. While we would normally run up to the surface as quick as we can (sometimes even turning it into a game or race) now, though, we are simply walking at a quicker pace than our average walking speed.

Throughout our journey, Leo doesn't ask where we are going. In fact, he is just asking what things are as he jumps around our legs, excitement filling his veins and causing him to make sure he doesn't miss a thing. It kind of reminds me how he was when we first made it to the surface. Running from alley to alley, my older brother searched for anything exciting or adventurous around every corner. Even when he didn't find anything, it didn't damper his mood and he continued to run and try somewhere else. That same energy is in the small turtle that is next to me now.

"Calm down, little dude; or else you are going to use up all your energy before we even get there," Mikey calls out to Leo, who is trying to step in the same spots Raph is. It's pretty funny though since Leo practically has to jump from spot to spot since his strides aren't nearly as big as Raph's.

At Mikey's comment, though, he stops and turns to look at us, his face showing embarrassment and timidness. "Sorry," he says quietly, walking behind Raph normally except for the slight bounce that hasn't left his steps. The situation causes me to smile.

"Don't worry, Leo," I tell him with a smile. "We will be there before you know it.

Over the next five minutes, it became obvious on how hard it was for Leo to keep all his energy to himself. However, you could see the energy fade away from his features when we came to the ladder that lead to the surface. The memory of me first bringing him to the Lair and learning of his fear with heights come back to me. Allowing Raph and Mikey to go ahead and climb up, I walk over to the small turtle, kneeling down so we are now roughly the same size. He continues to stare up at the ladder, paying no attention to me.

"I promise, I won't let you fall."

At my statement, Leo turns his wide, fearful blue eyes at me. It takes him a few minutes to silently think to himself before he gives me a shaky nod. Standing up, I keep my knees bent slightly and open my arms out to Leo. Looking up at me, I can see Leo swallow hard, fear still resting in his eyes. Letting out a small sigh, he takes a hesitant step towards me. Then, he takes another. As soon as he is close enough, I wrap my arms around him and carefully lift him up. Gently, I push his head into the the crook of my neck.

"Just don't look down," I tell him softly. "Imagine what you are going to see, okay?"

Feeling him nod against me, I walk over to the ladder. Quickly climbing up, I look up to see Raph and Mikey looking down at me, their faces full of concern and worry. Trying to tell them everything's okay with my eyes, I continue to swiftly climb upward. It's only a couple more seconds before I reach the surface.

Slowly and carefully, I bend my knees and allow Leo's feet to touch the ground. Even though we are no longer on the ladder, I can feel him shake and he slowly lifts up his head and looks around. While he still keeps a tight grip on my neck, I allow him to take his time before. I can tell both Raph and Mikey are feeling slightly impatient, but I don't want to rush Leo any way. No matter how uncomfortable I feel just kneeling in this position.

Taking a few steps away from me, Leo releases a sigh of relief. Turning towards us, he sends us an embarrassed smile, his eyes darting away from our gazes slightly. Raph walks over to him and rubs his head as he walks past the small turtle. "Come on," he says. "Let's get going already."

Leo's smile grows slightly and follows my older brother. Within seconds, the same skip in his step he had before we made it out of the sewers, almost as if he just remember what he was doing. I hear Mikey chuckle beside me as we watch Leo dart his head this way and that, his eyes full of wander. My brother darts over to the small mutant, telling him what objects are and sounding excited at whatever Leo points at, no matter how non-interesting or how common they really are.

It doesn't take us long to reach the nearest park. Still being cautious about humans, we walk to the edge of the park, resting under two trees that stood tall next to one another. Raph and I sit on the soft, dew-covered grass as Mikey showed Leo the swings nearby. As much as we wanted to let the small turtle run around on the playground, we didn't want anyone to see him. Besides, we came for something better.

The alarm on my T-phone goes off, causing both me and my older brother to jump. Clearing my throat as a silent way of saying not to mention our actions to anyone, I pull out my phone and turn off the annoying sound. Looking up, my eyes meet Mikey's. Giving him a nod, I watch him kneel down in front of Leo to say something before walking him over by the hand.

Patting the ground next to me, Leo walks towards me before turning around and laying on the grass. When his face looks up at the sky, I am able to see the large grin that shines brightly in the night. Whether it's in search of warmth or just some love, the small mutant scoots closer to me, his small body touching mine before he lets out a content sigh. His cheerful reaction now, is nothing compared to what happens next.

Just as Mikey's shell touches the ground beneath us, Leo lets out a sharp gasp and sits up, staring up at the sky with wide eyes. Sure enough, my eyes follow his to find small rays of light streaming across the night sky. I feel his small hand tap my arm as his other hand points at the sky. Glancing quickly between me and the sky, not wanting to miss much of the show above us, I watch him struggle to find words.

"Look! Donnie, look!" he manages, his eyes glued to the night sky as meteors miles and miles away are thrown in a variety of directions.

"Yes," I say with a small laugh, hearing my brothers chuckle on the other side of him, "I see, I see."

His reaction is better than what I originally imagined. It takes him a good couple minutes to calm himself down enough to lay down next to me. He seems so content, more content than I have seen Leonardo, my older brother, in a while. Everything just seems so peaceful here. Right now, we don't have to worry about the Foot, or the Shredder, or the Kraang, or creating a retro-mutagen for Karai, or fixing Leo. Currently, it's just me, my brothers, and a small mutant turtle at my side.

Once the meteor shower is over, Leo is fast asleep. Honestly, I'm glad he fell asleep when he did. He didn't miss much of the shower and we can get him home easier when we don't have to worry about his fear of heights. Picking him up, I turn to find Raph helping Mikey to his feet. My younger brother looks very exhausted, practically leaning against Raph as we make our way to the sewers.

Looking down, a smile crosses my face as I look down at the turtle I will have to (hopefully temporarily) start calling my nephew. Resting my chin on his head, I let out a sigh of my own. I forgot how much I cherish these moments; and even though tomorrow morning we have a bit of training and I'm going to have to work on the retro-mutagen once again with a few friends, I'm really glad I was able to have a small break from it all. As I look around at my brothers' faces, I can tell they are just as thankful for the break as I am.

 **A/N: Again, sorry for the long delay! Please leave a review to let me know what you think and if I accidentally made any mistakes. Looking forward to hearing from you! :) :) :)**


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Man, this chapter felt long to me! Hopefully this chapter is long enough for you guys! ;) Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer: I may not own TMNT, but I got a chair with wheels that can spin around and around and around!**

 **Review Replies from Chapter 20**

 **Sairey13:** **Haha! I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought of "Ice Age" when I wrote that ;). Although, you have to admit, Raph's eyes ARE pretty cool ;). Having the Foot come would have been EVIL! And I'm definitely, absolutely, a 100% not that evil of an author! *not-so-innocent-smile* Although, if I run out of ideas, I might have to do similar to that };). Thank you so much for leaving a review! :) :) :)**

 **Insanity21:** **I'm glad you loved the chapter! And Leo is mine!-I mean… *clears throat* Here is another chapter! Also, I'm really sorry about all the delays. Life's being mean and busy and trying to make these chapters a decent size is kind of a challenge. Hopefully, they are worth the wait. Thank you for leaving a review! :) :) :)**

 **Madelyn Hooks:** **Yay for a new reader! ;) I'm glad you are loving the story! I'm not really into Leo/Karai on the TV series, but I often find myself cheering for it when a find a good FanFic. As for seeing our normal Leonardo coming back...you will have to wait and find out ;P. Thank you again for the review and I hope you enjoy this chapter! :) :) :)**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Thanks for both complementing and reviewing! Glad you enjoyed it and here is an update finally! :) :) :)**

Master Splinter's P.O.V

Earlier this morning, I have decided to go easy on my sons during practice today. When first walking into the Dojo, it was obvious that despite the fun they had the night before, the urge to return to their beds and sleep was strong. I had no right to punish them with a hard training session. The current events have taken a mental toll on us all and last night was a nice bonding experience between the turtles.

Standing by the doors of the Dojo, I watch my sons (who have done surprisingly well during training) head off into their own directions. Poor Michelangelo walk towards his bedroom, stretching as a large yawn escapes from his mouth. Raphael travels to the kitchen, most likely to find food and silence for a while until our guests arrive. Donatello mentioned April and Dr. Rockwell coming to help with Miwa, probably bringing Casey and the Mighty Mutanimals with them as well. Speaking of my brilliant son, I watch him travel to his lab, his T-phone already in his hand, probably calling our friends now.

Looking towards the living room, I see my grandson (my previous eldest) lying with pillows and blankets surrounding his small, green body. His mouth was open, deep breaths entering and escaping it, and his eyes were close. A peaceful aura surrounded the turtle, an aura I am grateful for since nightmares have been often plaguing the small child. If one to look closer, you could notice how the one corner of his mouth is slightly turned upright, another piece of evidence that the night before has been quite an adventure for Leonardo.

Letting out a content sigh, I decide to join Raphael in the kitchen as well as treat myself to a cup of tea. Walking towards the kitchen, I grip my walking stick tightly, shutting the doors to the Dojo behind me. Reaching my destination, I find my son sitting at the table, his head resting on his hand as his eyes look up at me in a tired fashion. In front of his is a cup of soda, small bubbles fizzing towards the surface before popping and disappearing from sight. For a few moments, we rest in silence, Raphael sipping his drink while I create my own.

Once I have the warm drink in my hand, I pull up a chair across the table from my son in red. "May I join you?"

Raphael waves to the chair, his eyes blinking tiredly at me before talking another gulp of the dark drink.

"I am proud of how well you and your brothers did this morning during training," I tell him. "Even after the current events, you three were able to keep up with your training."

"Thanks, Sensei," my son replies. "I have to admit, I kind of missed training. Not only was it an excuse to punch stuff, but it also makes things feel oddly normal."

I nod in agreement. The small amount of normal that can this morning was both a blessing and a strange experience. Giving my son a warm smile, I suggest to him after seeing him yawn, "Maybe you should rest until our friends arrive later this afternoon?"

Raphael shakes his head as an answer. "Nah, there's some stuff I should be doing anyway. Besides, if I went to sleep, I'll just be more tired when the others get here. After all," he looks into the living room, "someone will have to watch the little guy while the smart people are working."

"Michelangelo has been keeping close to Leonardo," I remind my son.

"True, but he's going to need a break sooner or later."

Nodding, I drag my fingers down my beard. "Hmm, you are correct. I am proud of you taking responsibility, my son."

A smirk crosses Raphael's lips. "Whoa, got two compliments in the past five minutes. I'm on a roll today."

His statement causes me to chuckle lightly under my breath. Lifting my teacup up to my face, my ears twitch as they catch the sound of movement coming from my grandson in the other room. Following the sound of blankets moving, a small yawn can be heard, causing me to grin behind the warm liquid that passes my lips. It brings me back to when all four of my sons were young; their small, high-pitched yawns always caused me to smile whether I was tucking them in bed or sneaking an early cup of tea before they woke up. Being a father of four boys had both its crazy and memorable moments.

Sure enough, moments later, a small Leonardo walks into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. Raphael smirks at us when the mutant turtle walks up to me, allowing me to pick him up and sit him on my lap. Resting his head against my chest, Leonardo releases another yawn before closing his eyes again.

"It appears someone had a fun and tiring night," I claim, getting a nod out of my grandson. My son's chuckle has my assuming the small turtle had a large smile on his face. Sadly, due to our arrangement of him on my lap, I am unable to see it. "You are not the only one who needs to wake up more before our guests arrive, Raphael."

That grabs Leonardo's attention. No longer leaning on me, he looks up at me with his big blue eyes. "People are coming over?"

"Don't worry," Raphael speaks up, causing Leonardo to turn towards him. "It's just the Mighty Mutanimals and April and Casey."

"Why are they coming over?" Leonardo asks, turning once again to look up at me.

"April and Dr. Rockwell are going to help Donatello create a medicine for your mother."

A large smile crosses the turtle's face before it fades slightly. "Will it turn her human?"

I rub his arm with my hand comfortingly. It's hard to imagine what this situation is like for this small child. Over time, I started to pretend it would be similar to how I would feel if my sons were turn to human. How would I feel if one day they come to me as young, pale-skinned adults. Even though I would want them to go live their life above, on the surface, my heart would ache for their presence here in the Lair. Yet, even as I imagine that, I know it is not the same. After all, this is a small child who only had a mother for half of her life.

"Yes," I finally answer. "However, she will be better than she is currently."

He looks at Raphael, who in return gives him a reassuring nod and smile. Letting out a small sigh, Leonardo leans against me again, silence settling over us.

We sit this way for what seems like a lifetime.

It is after noon when I hear the sound of footsteps reach my ears. Apparently, I am not the only one who hears the noises of the Mighty Mutanimals, for Raphael's eyes look at me, giving me and understandable nod. With a bit of gentle pushing, I remove Leonardo from my lap, finally getting the privilege to move my legs.

"Raphael," I tell my son softly, "why don't you go greet our friends. With the help of Leonardo, I'll go retrieve Michelangelo."

With another silent nod, my son walks to our home's entrance. Placing a hand on Leonardo's shoulder, I lead him to Michelangelo's room. Through the corner of my eyes, I notice how the small turtle continues to look over his shoulder, almost as if waiting for someone to come out behind us. Realizing that other mutants still make him nervous, I move my fingers on his shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly. Letting out a small sigh, my grandson focuses his gaze towards the door we are walking towards.

As I reach for the door handle, an idea comes to me. Fighting back the grin that crosses my face, I let go of the knob to turn to the small turtle as he sends me a confused look. "Leonardo," I start calmly, "I have a suggestion on how we will wake up Michelangelo, for he is most likely still asleep."

A chuckle escapes my lips as Leonardo's eyes blink before a mischievous smile only a child can contain. His lips spread into a smile as he bounces on the balls of his feet, moving closer to me. It was almost as if I was telling him a very important secret. "Like what?" he asks softly.

Grinning, I lean downward towards him. Whispering quietly in his ear, I can hear the mutant giggle next to me. Once I move away, I am giving a couple quick, excited nods in response. Watching him carefully, I observe Leonardo stepping towards the bedroom door, quietly turning it and pushing it open. Following the small turtle, I can see Michelangelo through the darkness. Laying on his bed, my son lays sprawled, his limbs hanging over the bed as his blanket scatters around him. His mouth is opening and I can hear him breathing loudly in the dark, headphones resting on his head as music fills his ears.

Leonardo pauses at the doorway, taking in the scene himself, before moving forward. With soft, ninja-like steps, he walks over to Michelangelo's bed. After a few moments of making sure the older turtle was sound asleep, Leonardo leaps onto the bed, landing on my son's plastron. In response, Michelangelo let's out a startled yelp, eyes opening as his body jerks to sit upward. While my son blinks and looks around, becoming aware of his surrounding, Leonardo slides down to his legs, a large smile on his face.

"Good afternoon, Uncle Mikey," Leonardo states happily, his voice having so much innocence he sounded guilty.

Michelangelo blinks before looking down at the turtle, still trying to process what has just happened. I allow a chuckle to escape my throat, finding his confusion and shock quite amusing. Following the noise and turning towards me, my son's tired eyes meet mine. After glancing between me and Leonardo, Michelangelo send me a glare, obviously understanding my plan.

When my sons were young, I was counted lucky when a small turtle didn't jump on my bed to wake me up in the mornings. Yet, even when my sons began to grow little by little, one turtle continued to give me trouble. As a child, Michelangelo woke up early, wanting breakfast for his "starving" form. Instead of getting some well-deserved sleep, I went to make a morning meal for my son. As a small token of revenge, I thought Leonardo could greet Michelangelo the same way.

"The Mighty Mutanimals are here, my son," I state, making my voice sound casual. Michelangelo's glare continues to strike my eyes playfully. "I recommend you come and greet them."

By the time April and Casey arrive a while later, we have separated into our own groups. Raphael and Slash went into the Dojo (soon to be joined by Casey) while Pete colors with Leonardo in the living room, Leatherhead and Michelangelo near by as they talk to one another. Walking with April, I head into Donatello's Lab to join my son and Dr. Rockwell. Pushing the Lab door open, I come face-to-face with Miwa laying on the cot in front of me, Donatello and Rockwell not too far away.

"The retro-mutagen we created should reverse the effects of the Kraang's mutagen if the math we did is correct," Rockwell says to my genius son, writing something on a nearby notebook.

"I would like to go through the equations again before we try anything, though. We could maybe use Spy-Roach to see if it works," Donatello replies, a thoughtful look crosses his face.

"You mean you still have that mutant cockroach that really freaked Raph out?" April asks, causing the scientists to turn towards us. "Does Raph know?"

In response, my son rubs the back of his neck. "Well, no, not really. Technically, though, it's not the same one. It turns out it has reproduced before Raph was able to destroy it. After discovering it in the city by myself, I caught it and put it in one of the sewer tunnels nearby. I made sure they were ones Raph doesn't go by."

"How was it able to reproduce though?"

Donatello blinks before setting his attention on some nearby notes. "There are some places even the most curious scientists aren't willing to go."

"But if it works on your Spy-Roach, we still wouldn't know if it'll work on Miwa," April states after a moment of thinking. "The last time you made a retro-mutagen, it worked on other mutants but not Miwa because of how she was mutated."

"True," Dr. Rockwell replies before my son could. "However, if this mutant was born as a mutant instead of an ordinary cockroach, it would improve its chances of working on Miwa, as well."

I turn to my daughter as my mind processes their conversation. Her body still rests there, still and cold. My mind can't help but remember all the times me and Miwa have been pushed away, almost as if never permitted to be together. Letting out a small sigh through my nose, I touch her serpent hand.

"Perhaps," I say after a few moments of silence, "it is worth a try."

Dr. Rockwell turns to Donatello, giving him a nod in agreement. My son turns to look at April, then at me, giving a nod of his own. "Alright; I'll lead the way."

After quickly and quietly leaving the Lair (in hopes not to explain to Raphael what we were doing) Donatello leads through a tunnel. The tunnel leads to a dead end, which holds a large cage. Inside the metal cage, is a familiar mutant, standing tall as it's robotic eye watches us closely. It appears the creature has not yet shed its skin like the previous mutant-version of Donatello's pet, for it still holds a brown color with its legs twitching slightly at its sides.

"Now," Donatello starts, walking towards the mutant, "this one isn't as hostile as the other. However, this doesn't mean it will fight back."

At my son's subtle warning, I shift my feet slightly in case of an attack. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice April sliding her hand into her back, no doubt grabbing for her Tessen. Once we all give Donatello a nod, he lets out a sigh before stepping towards the cage with Dr. Rockwell behind him. Before opening the cage door, Dr. Rockwell hands the syringe full of the retro-mutagen they have created. Donatello gives a gracious nod before opening the door in front of him.

The mutant watches my son closely as Donatello gets closer to it. With slow movements, my son moves the needle closer to the mutant's arm. At first, the cockroach creature moves back, but then allows Donatello to do what he has to do. It's obvious that my son is surprised by this action, but simply shakes his head before gently (but forcefully to get it past its hard exterior) slides the needle in. As soon as the contents are gone, Donatello jerks the needle away and takes a couple steps back, unsure what will happen.

Holding my breath, I watch the creature closely as it begins to jerk and twitch it's limbs. Letting out a small shriek, it begins to slowly fall to it's legs, unable to stand up anymore. My eyes widen as I watch the creature get smaller, returning to the normal form of a common, New York insect. Within a minute, the mutant that once stood tall in front of us, become a small bug. None of us move, to surprised by what has just occurred.

"It worked," my son breaths out, his shoulder sagging in relief as he picks up the small insect. After letting its antennas roam over Donatello's fingers, the creature quickly crawls on my son's hand. Turning towards us, he looks at us with wide us as he opens the cage door; the insect in his hand almost appears to be watching us as well. We lean towards Donatello's hand, our surprised eyes looking intently at the cockroach. Indeed, it was a normal insect.

I find myself unable to hold in the sigh that manages to escape my throat as a smile begins to cross my face. Out of the corner of my eyes, I notice Dr. Rockwell smiling and closing his eyes in relief. April shows her excitement and joy in a different way from mine and Dr. Rockwell's. Letting out a cheerful "You did it, Donnie!" she moves over to hug my son tightly in a proud embrace. My son lets out a small chuckle as he moves his arm in avoidance to letting the small Spy Roach in his hand be crushed by the human.

Dr. Rockwell clears his throat loudly.

Removing her head from Donatello's shoulder, April gives the doctor a small smile. "I mean, you both did it." Her response causes Dr. Rockwell to give her a small smile that has some characteristics of a smirk.

"All three of you did it," I state, stepping forward and putting a hand on both April's and Donatello's shoulder. "You all worked hard to create a retro-mutagen that would work. I am proud of all three of you."

"Speaking of which," Donatello says, the small hint of red in his cheeks fading. He looks down at the now empty syringe in his hand. "I think it's time to try to change Miwa into a human again." As he looks up at me, I can tell my son is searching for some form of confirmation.

In response to his statement, I give a small nod. "I believe, my son, you are right. It is time to return Miwa into her true form."

Once we return to the Lair, it is April who tells the others that we are getting ready. Following Donatello and Dr. Rockwell, I watch them prepare for the process while I hold Miwa's hand tightly in my own. As much as I wish to help them gather what they need, I do not know what needs to be done and my heart aches to be with my daughter. Today might be the day Miwa and I finally reunite once again.

"Hey, Master Splinter!" I turn around to find Pigeon Pete holding Leonardo, who has a paper pressed tightly to his chest. "Me and Leo were coloring and he made a picture for you." After he gently puts the small turtle on the ground, I watch Leonardo come up to me with a timid smile. Glancing up at me, my grandson quietly hands me the white piece of paper, the picture he drew facing the floor. Giving him a reassuring smile, I turn the paper over.

One the piece of paper is the picture of the large that takes home in the Dojo, rays of yellow that are suppose to resemble the rays of sunlight cross over the green leaves. In the front of the tree looks to be a rough picture of a Katana sticking out of the floor. For a small child like this version of Leonardo, it was quite impressive.

"Leo let me draw the smiley face in the corner, but the rest was him," Pigeon Pete states proudly, pointing to a small, red smiley face in the top left corner. I chuckle lightly at the random doodle in the picture and put a hand on Leonardo's shoulder.

"It is an amazing picture," I tell them both with a smile. "Thank you both."

Michelangelo and Leatherhead follow in, Raphael, Casey, and Slash following behind them as they playfully punch one-another in the arm. My heart warms as I watch them send me reassuring smiles and nods. It appears our friends are here to truly comfort us once more. As Pigeon Pete moves to stand next to Leatherhead while Leonardo stands next to Raphael (who places his hands on the child's shoulders) I allow my grip on Miwa to tighten. We stand together as we wait for Donatello and Dr. Rockwell (with the help of April) get the retro-mutagen ready.

Looking downward, I study my daughter's face, trying to recall what it truly looks like in human form. Honestly, it has been so long that my memory has a hard time bringing it up. What I can remember, before my nemesis mutated her into a snake being, is her hazel eyes. They were full of strength, wisdom and courage; just like her mother. Sadly, I do not believe Miwa will ever realize how much of Tang Shen she carries within her.

My attention is brought out of my thoughts when my son, Donatello, places his hand on my arm, signalling me to give him room to inject the retro-mutagen. Looking at him in his brown eyes, I give him a nod in response to his genuine smile. Keeping Miwa's hand in mind, I to the side, looking out of the corner of my eye to inspect my family.

Michelangelo has his arms crossed over his plastron as his foot taps against the lab floor, showing the nervous energy that is running through him. Leatherhead stands next to him, though, resting a hand on his shoulder to give my son some comfort. Raphael has now picked Leonardo up in his arms, holding him tightly to his chest. In his...uncle's arms, Leonardo is gripping Raphael's arms tightly, his face showing fear in his wide blue eyes and slightly pale skin. Slash and Pigeon Pete stand nearby, paying close attention to my daughter and "the two scientists" (as my sons have put it). April has now joined the ground, hugging herself with his arms. Casey Jones notices her anxious energy and places one hand on her shoulder and his other hand on her arm. She gives him a grateful nod before turning her attention away from him, not before resting her head on his shoulder. My heart ached for what my son would be feeling with these events. Luckily, when I turned to him, he was not paying attention to the two.

Instead, Donatello was whispering something to Dr. Rockwell, something even my ears could not pick up. In response, Dr. Rockwell gave him a reassuring smile before tipping his head in a nod while gently pushing his arm with his hand. I can only assume doubt has begun to plague Donatello's mind; luckily, it appears Dr. Rockwell was able to dispose of it. In response, my son gives a nod to himself before inserting the needle into Miwa's arm.

As soon as the needle pierced my daughter's skin, I look at her face, wanting for any reaction. My grip on Miwa's hand tightens as I see Donatello slowly push the liquid into her body out of the corner of my eye. The tension builds in the room, becoming thick enough to slice with a Katana. No one makes a noise except for the light breathing that escapes their noses. I find myself holding my breath, feeling the tightness in my chest. Allowing a small amount of air to escape my mouth, my gaze continues to hold my daughter's face.

My son removes the needle slowly, placing it on the nearby table. Everyone's gaze is now on Miwa, precious moments ticking by. Not more than a minute did my daughter finally give a reaction. Her body jerks violently in one swift moment before repeating the action. Another jerk infects her as another one follows, quicker than the last one. I feel my throat tighten as I am forced to let go of my daughter's hand as her body shakes. This brings back the memory of watching my son and Casey Jones hold Miwa down after April attempted to bring her mind back; however, this is not the same situation.

A small whimper behind me causing me to twitch and glance away from my trembling daughter. Leonardo is obviously in some distress, most likely thinking the same thing I am. He buries his face into Raphael's shoulder, unable to witness the scene any longer. Part of me wishes to turn away as well from the horrible picture in front of me; sadly, I do not have that privilege. I must know if my son's newest retro-mutagen will help my daughter.

Turning my gaze back to Miwa, I watch her body continue to jerk and spasm in different directions. Looking closely, though, my heart leaps for joy when I realize small changes are occurring. Her serpent hands are growing small as her body begins to fade into her human skin color. Scales begin to slowly fade, smoothing into their original skin texture. The end of her long, majestic tail grows smaller before beginning to form two separate feet. I allow a small smile to cross my face as I hear multiple gasps behind me. Dark hair begins to show on my daughter's head, growing longer and longer will they past her shoulders. Miwa's sharp shoulders slip back to their normal position as the metal coating that once covered her body fades from existence. Finally, my daughter's face shifts, returning to her small, human face I once knew. This time, though, she looks so much older and mature, looking more like her mother than I ever thought possible. The smile on my face grows all the more; my Miwa has finally returned to me.

Gasps are heard behind me as Miwa's brown eyes slowly flutter open. They stare at the ceiling, blinking sluggishly and seeming in a trance. Breathing out her name, joy floods my heart as she slowly turns her head towards me. Once her eyes meet mine, she gives me a small, gentle smile. My ears pick up the sound of tiny feet hitting the floor and running towards me and the bed. Leonardo appears, hands gripping the edge of the bed tightly as he looks hopeful at my daughter.

"Mommy?" he asks quietly, as if unable to believe she is really there. Seeing her swallow hard, my eyes follow her arm as it slowly and shakily moves towards Leonardo. When her pale hand touches his cheek, my heart breaks when he flinches away, eyes wide. Despite that, my daughter is persistence and reaches for him again. This time, though, he allows her skin to touch him as he allows some tears to slip from his eyes. He presses his cheek into her hand and grips it tightly.

As Leo cries into his mother's hand, the others begin to join us around Miwa. My sons join me and Leonardo around the bed, telling her how it was good to see her again and that she looked well. Soon, I notice how her eyes begin to drop and seem heavier than normal. Donatello did as well, telling us to give her some space and let her rest. The Mighty Mutanimals exit to the room first, Michelangelo and Raphael following close behind. Before leaving, Donatello checks a couple things around Miwa before deciding to give us some space. Tapping Leonardo's shoulder, my son urges him along to join him.

Leonardo doesn't move, however, and continues to focus on Miwa. She shakes her head at Donatello, telling him it was alright. Donatello gives her a smile and a nod before giving me a reassuring smile and leaving. Leaning over to the small turtle, she whispers something in his ear. Smiling, he quickly jumps up to the bed, eager to lay next to her. I let out a small chuckle as I give his shell a small udge in assistance. He turns around to give me a gracious smile before quickly curling up in her side. Wrapping her arm around him, she lets out a small chuckle of her own before leaning her head against the soft pillow beneath her. Realizing she would soon fall into the realm of sleep, I lean forward to give her a kiss on the head.

While I gently rub her forehead with my fingers, I watch as the smile on her lips grow. After all this time, I have my daughter once again. Even though I have lost my oldest son and his fate is still unclear on whether he will return to us or not, I can't help but feel at peace more than before. Hopefully, this moment will bring our family and friends hope for the future. Now, we will hopefully believe that the Shredder truly did not win and will be defeated.

 **A/N: Okay guys, I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to** **try** **(key word is try) to wrap this story up soon. I'm slowly losing interest but I don't want to just abandon it. I'm also getting distracted with a couple other stories I really want to work on. So, long story short, this story might be finished pretty soon but if you got any ideas or maybe have some sort of request or whatever, I would love to hear it ;). Please review!**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: If there is some bad grammar in here, I did that on purpose (if I didn't do it on purpose, we are going to pretend I did) because it is in little Leo's P.O.V! Also, I got third place in a small writing contest in my school! That has been like the only thing getting me in a good mood for a couple days! Anyway, enough about me, there's a chapter for you to read!**

 **Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not (until I am able to take over the world, then I probably can ;P)**

 **Reviews from Chapter 21:**

 **Insanity21:** **Here is some more! ;) Wait, you are a stalker….woah ;). Also, I will try to add a few Miwa and Leo bonding moments and stuff :)**

 **Sairey13:** **Yeah, I have a feeling it will be hard to describe and write the Leo and Miwa relationship. Leo is in the middle of a fight between natural instinct and his child instinct. I believe, though, that this little Leo may be a bit upset that all this happened, but he knows that his family cares for Miwa just as much as he does. There will definitely be some moments though where Leo would be uncomfortable with her and upset about it. As for finding Leo through meditation and stuff, I actually have a future idea slightly close to that ;). I cannot promise that something like will happen, but thank you sooooo much for always giving me some ideas and your opinion! :)**

 **BubblyShell22:** **Yay for Miwa indeed ;) As for Leo getting back to his true form…we will see ;) I shall reveal no spoilers ;P. I'm also glad you liked the little Pete and Leo drawing moment I slipped in there. Here's an update! :)**

 **JamesBondfan007:** **Hey! Thanks for leaving a review AND giving me an idea! Hmmm...I might actually use a bit of that idea if you don't mind me using it! The only problem is that in a previous chapter, Stockman left the Shredder and the rest of the Foot clan. But, I will definitely work with that idea with your permission! Thank you again and I hope you enjoy the chapter! :)**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Thanks for the compliment! I'm glad you liked it :). Someone else also mentioned doing something like that! I will most likely do something along those lines later in the story, if it is okay with you that I use your idea. Thank you so much for the awesome idea and the review! :)**

 **NICE:** **Haha! (nice name!) I'm glad you liked it! :) That's very true...Sadly, though, I'm not sure if I'll include Master Splinter deciding on whether to turn human or not… It would definitely have to be hard for him to decide, especially now he has a human Miwa to be with him. We will just have to see ;). Thanks for reviewing! Hope you enjoy the chapter!**

Leonardo's P.O.V

It's weird having Mommy back like this. I no longer feel her cool scales or can pet the little faces on her hands. Now, I only feel the soft, pink-ish skin, reminding me of those bad people in the Room. Mom is better now, though; and I should be happy she is back and feeling good. But, I can't hold her like I use to; or, jump into her arms and laugh as she would tickle me. Not yet anyway.

Even though Mom is sleeping a lot and doesn't really know, I think my uncles and grandfather do. They keep giving me gentle smiles, small pats on the shoulder, or will go play with me in another room. I'm not sure whether I like it or not, but I do have fun in the end. Uncle Donnie will read me stories and teach me new things. Some of the things are boring and hard, but he tries making it fun and always gives me a small piece of candy or something tasty when I do a good job. Uncle Raphie plays with me around the house. We will run around the house and play a game called "tag." Sometimes, we will "wrestle," but it always brings bad memories. I think Uncle Raphie knows because he doesn't ask me if I want to wrestle very often. Uncle Mikey plays toys and video games with me a lot! It's really fun when he finds me a new toy and lets me play with it. When I'm not in a good mood or happy (from stuff happening, or a nightmare, or memory) all three of them will get really tasty popcorn and we sit on the couch to watch a movie.

Grandpa, or Master Splinter, shows me the Dojo. He won't let me touch the weapons, but he lets me see them and sometimes shows me how people fight with them. Even though I don't really like fighting right now, Ninjutsu looks really cool! It reminds me of dancing; they seem to move quickly and smoothly. So, when Master Splinter asked me to join him in the Dojo after I ate breakfast, I didn't say no. I followed behind him, holding his much bigger hand in mine.

Once we pass through the wide doors, I feel his grip slowly release my hand. Smiling, I walk over to look at the large swords, wooden staffs, and other weapons around the room. Master Splinter must have seen me upset again and decided to take me in here to cheer me up. My attention is drawn to the large tree in the middle of the room. Light is jumping over it in large lines, traveling from the top of the tree to the floor. It's pretty, really pretty. Even though it is super high up and I never would want to climb it, I love looking up at the tree and watching the light move slightly when it starts to get later and later.

No longer feeling Grandfather behind me, I turn around to find him on the floor, holding a cup between his hands before lifting it and drinking. Watching him, I tilt my head before walking towards him in confusion. This has never happened before. Normally, he would follow me around the room, answering questions or telling me a story about a certain thing. Never has he just sit there in the middle of the room, not paying any attention to me. It was if I wasn't even here!

Getting close to him, I take a seat. After a few minutes, he still doesn't look at me, still drinking his tea. Thinking I'm doing something wrong, I decide to sit like he is by folding my legs. It feels weird; normally I'll sit with my legs stretched out or by sitting on my knees or even with my legs close to my chest. Once I get in the right position and begin to wait, the weird feeling goes away and feels normal. However, Master Splinter won't say anything, still; instead, he keeps drinking whatever is in his come and taking big breaths through his nose.

Becoming bored, I look around the Dojo. There's a little picture on the other side of the room. When me and Mikey were in the Dojo one time, playing with a cool superhero toy he got out for me, he told me a little about it. He said that the little girl in the picture was my mommy when she was a little baby. At first, I didn't believe him; but, I know Mikey wouldn't lie to me. Even though the baby doesn't look like her, I think it could be my mommy.

Hearing someone clear their throat, I turn to find Grandfather looking at me, his eyes meeting my eyes. Sitting straighter, I give him a small smile, receiving one in return. Taking another sip of his smoking (or steaming as Uncle Donnie told me before) he lets out another deep breath.

"Leonardo, I have been meditating over this matter for a while; but, I believe you are ready for it, if you chose so. Despite your disinterest in fighting, I have notice you are passionate about the art of Ninjutsu." He chuckles lightly. "Especially after you have joined us in practice before."

I laugh lightly at the memory. When my uncles and Master Splinter started "practice" again, I would stay out in the living room and watch a movie or play in Donnie's Lab next to Mom with my toys. After a couple days of doing this though, I began wondering what they were doing in there everyday.

 _They sound of hitting and a yell comes from the Dojo, again. Looking up from Kino, I look towards the large doors that lead to the Dojo. Sighing, my eyes go between my toys and the doors. I don't want them to be mad at me, but I feel like I belong in there with them. Whatever they were doing, I want to be a part of it. Getting up and gently placing Kino down on the ground next to the small army of wind-up bunny toys Donnie found in his lab. As quiet as I can, I move towards the Dojo._

 _Gently pushing the doors aside, my eyes widen at the sight of my uncles holding their weapons in their hands. All three of them circle each other, sometimes moving forward to send a strike. Within seconds, the battle begins, causing them to swing their weapons towards them. My eyes widen as I remember the bad people back in the Room, moving dangerously around me and my mom and sometimes hurting us. Shaking my head, though, I force the memory away. This wasn't the same thing. I could tell by how they are moving that they aren't going to hurt each other horribly._

 _Uncle Raphie moves his feet so he stands strong, twirling his sharp weapons in his hands. After dodging Uncle Mikey's attack, Uncle Donnie looks at him before standing differently and spinning his stick around with his hands. Looking down at how he has his feet and legs, I slowly feel my own doing the same. Even though I don't have a Bo staff like my uncle, I keep my hands in front of me. My two uncles move to I can see Donnie's face while Uncle Raph has his shell to me. Mikey is standing in the back, swinging his nunchucks as if waiting for the right moment to attack. Movement catches my eye and I notice the slight shift in Uncle Don's stance. His feet have moved, allowing me to move my feet._

 _Time seems to go slower as I watch Uncle Donnie slowly great an attack. Lifting a foot in the air, I notice how his foot on the ground twists slightly. Then, he brings his knee to his chest before sending it outward as I do the same. Smiling proudly, I realize I have just copied the same movements as my uncle who is trained in "Ninjutsu."_

 _Once I complete the kick, time returns back to normal. Uncle Donnie's foot connects with Uncle Raphie, causing him to fly towards me. Before I can think about stepping away, I feel something hard on my chest, pulling me out of the way. With a blink of an eye, Uncle Raph hits the way with a_ thump _and I'm standing next to Master Splinter, his cane still against my chest from when he pushed me to safety. Looking at him with surprised eyes, my grandfather gives me an amused smile, looking at me with interest._

" _Leo!"_

 _Turning towards my standing uncles, I find Mikey looking at me with wide, surprised eyes. It was Uncle Donnie though that called my name, running towards me with a worried face. Sliding to his knees, he looks me over. "Are you alright? I didn't mean to throw him at you? He didn't run into you did he?"_

 _I give him a gentle smile, showing him I didn't get hurt. "I'm okay, Uncle Donnie."_

" _Little ninja," Uncle Raph says, moving to sit up. "I didn't even know he was in here."_

 _Even though Uncle Raphie isn't saying it, I can see that he was still kind of worried as well. Uncle Mikey comes over and gives me a look over before telling me that I have the "stealth skills of a ninja master" before offering to make lunch for everyone. Since then, though, I knew my grandfather and uncles were going to be a bit more aware on where I was during training._

Smiling at the memory, I nod in agreement. If I'm unsure on what to do, I always feel the wanting to go to the Dojo. Because of all the sharp things, I can't go in there alone.

"Perhaps," Master Splinter starts, sitting up a bit straighter, "it is time we train you in Ninjutsu. I have already spoken to your mother. She has given us permission to start as soon as we wish, even saying she believes you will perform greatly in it." I blink at him, not thinking this could be happening! He smiles. "It is up to you though."

I look down at my hands. Part of me doesn't want to learn how to fight. Thinking of me hurting people, makes me feel like I'm being the people that hurt me and Mom. If I do learn Ninjutsu, I can protect people though! Those bad men won't hurt me, I won't lose Mommy again and she won't go to bed for a long time, my uncles won't get any boo-boos from mean people, I can be in the Dojo even MORE with Grandfather! No, I tell myself, I won't be like those bad men. I will be better than them!

Looking up at Master Splinter, I give him a smile and a big nod. He looks happy at my answer and stands up quietly. Once he is on his feet, I lean back to look up at his face. My grandfather was tall before, but now he is super tall. After thinking a bit, I kind of want to be like him. Master Splinter is strong, smart, nice, and is really tall. When he leans down to give me a hand to help me stand up, I reach up and take it. I giggle when my feet don't touch the ground for half a second from his strength.

Giving his own chuckle, Master Splinter sits his cup down before putting his hands behind his back. "However," he sounds serious again, "there is one thing we must discuss before we get started in your training."

With wide, curious eyes, I follow Grandfather out of the Dojo into the living room. None of my uncles are there, probably doing different things. Uncle Donnie is probably in his lab with Mommy while Uncle Raphie and Uncle Mikey are probably in their rooms and/or with the Mighty Mutanimals. It doesn't scare me knowing they are with the Mighty Mutanimals as it does when they are with the humans. I know they aren't mean and care about us; but, part of me is afraid they will walk out to hang with….April and Casey (I think their names are) and never come back.

Master Splinter walks up to the stairs that go around and around up. Swallowing hard, I watch him step on a couple steps, becoming taller than he was before. Only my eyes follow him, my legs afraid to go up any higher. He stops and turns around after like three steps and gives me and understanding smile.

"We must work on your fear of heights," he tells me.

Swallowing hard, I look down at my feet, wrapping my hands tightly around each other. Backing up a little, I don't look at Master Splinter. I don't want to face my fear! Why can't I just leave my fear alone and fight bad guys on the ground!

"Perhaps, we can start by you explaining to me why you have this fear of heights." Looking up, I find Master Splinter sitting down on the step, his hands clasped together in front of him. He looks at me with a small, reassuring smile and a gentle look. "You do not have to come up these steps yet, but talking about your fear is the first step to overcome it. Please, have a seat; tell me what has caused you to fear heights."

Letting out a breath, I continue to move my hands together nervously; just thinking about it kind of freaks me out. Clearing my throat, I force my eyes to look at Sensei's.

"Mommy tried to escape with me before," I start, going back to the night that started my fear. "It was a couple years ago..."

 _Clinging to Mommy tightly, I bury my face into her shoulder as we race through the big halls. Mommy just finished fighting more guards, knocking them to the ground; I know carrying me makes it hard for her to fight the bad guys, but I don't want to be alone. I'm scared. What if they try to hurt Mommy? It has happened before._

" _Karai!"_

 _My eyes widened and I look up while Mommy turns around. It was the Sharp Man, dressed in shiny clothing with poky things. He looked like his arms and legs were carried in knives. Under his metal mask (that covered his nose and mouth) I can see his peach face and scary eyes. One eye looks like it has fog in it and got hurt really bad; the other eye looks sharp, focusing on me and Mommy._

" _Let usss go!" Mommy yells, holding me tighter._

" _My daughter, we are trying to help you, return you to your original form. Do you not want that?" he asks, taking a step closer to us._

 _Mommy moves back a little. "I am not your daughter!"_

 _He sighs, looking kind of sad. Moving my head, I look at him closely. The Sharp Man looks down at his feet, maybe thinking? After a bit, he looks up and I notice him nod slightly. Just as I'm about to ask Mommy what is going on, I hear a small buzzing noise. Turning around, I only have time to gasp before the fly person (the Smart Man who gives me and Mommy the stuff that tastes bad or kind of hurts) grabs me by my armpits and quickly pulls me out of Mommy's arms. I can feel her hands trying to grab me again, but Tiger Guy grabs her arms and holds her back. Looking at his one eye, it didn't look really happy; but, I guess I have never seen him smile._

 _Swallowing hard, I begin to realize how afraid I was becoming the higher we got. Soon, the Smart Guy gets all the way to the ceiling, making Mommy, Sharp Man, and Tiger Guy seem smaller. Mommy is yelling; I am too afraid to say anything._

" _Let him go! He is just a child!" Mommy screams, trying to get Tiger Guy to let go of her. He doesn't let go, pulling her back a little after she moves towards me._

" _You will stay here," the Sharp Man tells Mommy, moving towards her. They are really close to each other now, able to touch one another just by reaching forward. Neither of them do it, though; they only stare at each other with not-happy faces. "Stockman will return you to a human and we shall be a family once again."_

" _What will it take for you to get it into your thick, metal skull?" Mommy yells at him, pulling her body away from Tiger Guy's grasp. He doesn't yank her back, but he doesn't let Mommy get any closer to Sharp Man. "I am not your daughter! You_ _killed_ _my mother! You are hurting a child who has done nothing to you!"_

" _You are wrong!" Sharp Man screams back. He gets close to my mom, telling her something that I can't hear. When he takes a couple steps back, though, I can hear him say "If that's how you want it to be" before snapping his fingers. Before I could even think about what it meant, I felt the hands under my arms let go._

 _I scream._

 _I'm helpless, unable to do anything! Air smacks my face as the ground gets closer and closer. I think I hear Mommy yelling, too, but mine is too loud for me to make sure. Pictures of my body smashing to the ground, crushing my bones and cracking my shell and worse, flash in my mind. I'm going to die. Mommy will be all alone!_

 _Just before my face touches the ground, I hear the same buzzing I hear earlier. Arms grab my chest tightly and pull me away from the floor. There are other noises around me, but I can't really hear what they are. Everything seems to go really slow, kind of like when Smart Guy put me in water once and I couldn't move super fast. Sharp Man stands in front of me, moving his mouth and probably talking to Smart Guy behind me. In the middle of whatever the tall man is saying, I was dropped to the floor, landing on my knees and using my arms to lean up. It wasn't really that high, but I could feel all the air leave my mouth. I keep trying to suck it back in, but I couldn't get enough._

" _Leonardo, look at me, okay? Look at Mommy."_

 _Slowly looking up from the floor, I find Mommy sitting in front of me. Her green eyes look worried, but she gives me a smile. I want to give one to her, too, but I am still trying to breathe._

" _It's okay now, alright? I got you," she tells me. She wraps her arms around my shoulder. "Deep breathss, okay? Can you breathe with me?" Mommy takes a big breath of air before slowly releasing a long one. Swallowing hard, I try to do what she is doing, feeling my head slowly stop hurting really bad._

" _Return them to their cells, and cut their food ration in half tonight," Sharp Man says._

 _Still giving me a smile, Mommy stands up straight before picking me up and pushing me into her chest. Closing my eyes, I bury myself into her hard skin, not wanting to look at the ground even this high. I now realize I am shaking against my mom as she moves down the hall, Tiger Guy following us._

" _It'ss okay," Mommy tells me quietly. "It won't happen again, okay?"_

 _Nodding, I feel some tears fall from my eyes. I don't want to cry, but I can't help it. I got really scared and almost died. What is worse, is I'm the reason Mommy can't ever leave these bad men._

"It happened a couple times after that," I tell Master Splinter, looking at the ground and rubbing my arm. "Sometimes, Sharp Man did it to make Mommy do stuff or stay in the Room. Sometimes he just did it to be mean when I was alone."

"Come here, my grandson," I hear Grandfather say. Looking up, I see him with his arms open from where he sits on the steps. Everything gets really blurry and I feel like I'm going to start crying. After thinking about it for a bit, I run to Master Splinter and wrap my arms around his neck. He wraps his arms around me, too, rubbing my shell and pushing my head into his shoulder. "It is alright, Leonardo, it is finally over. They will not hurt you ever again."

Nodding, I can't help but smile. Even though I keep having nightmares and get scared and stuff, I know my new family loves me and will keep me safe. Mommy will keep me safe, too, even if she is a "human" like Uncle Donnie says. Maybe being a human makes Mommy stronger or something! That would be kind of cool!

"I know," I tell him quietly. "I keep getting scared, though. I know you guys will help me, but I can't help but get scared."

"It is okay to be afraid of things, Leonardo," Master Splinter replies. "Besides, you are slowly overcoming your fear and preventing it from controlling you. Look."

Eyes widening, I push away from Master Splinter to find myself a couple steps higher than when I was telling my story. Realizing I ran into my grandfather's arms without thinking about the height, I feel my cheeks get a bit warm and a smile cross my face.

"You have already taken the first steps to conquering your fear," he tells me, causing me to look at him and see his smile. Master Splinter places a hand on my cheek. "You are very strong, and I am very proud of you."

Smiling, I let him wrap his arms around me again in a hug as I do the same. A warm, lighter feeling fills my chest as my smile gets bigger and grows on my face.

 _Thank you, Sensei._

 **A/N: IMPORTANT NOTE!**

 **A couple chapters ago, people left some reviews to help me with how Leo got his fear of heights. I would like to thank Sairey13, LilyTheNinjaGirl, and Pollielobster for giving me ideas and making this chapter possible. You guys are awesome and I know it probably feels like forever since you shared your ideas and I apologize for not giving you thanks earlier. (If I have missed anyone, PLEASE let me know if you have shared thoughts on how Leo develops his fear and I will definitely thank you as well!)**

 **FOR ANYONE SHARING IDEAS, I will also like to thank you for giving my ideas on how to continue and make this story better! I will personally thank you after I write that chapter that uses that idea. Please be patient.**

 **Thank you guys for everything! From reading, to sharing ideas, to reviewing, to favoriting, and to following. You guys have no idea how much it means to me! Hope to read from you guys soon! :) :) :)**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Hey, sorry for the long wait and the kind of short chapter. I wasn't in the best of moods lately and it has been hard finding the energy to write. However, I'm doing slightly better and will hopefully be able to write a bit more!**

 **Also, this story is almost over! There will be two endings and roughly only three chapters left! So, enough talking, let's get this ninja turtle-filled story on the road! :)**

 **Disclaimer: No, nada, zip, zero, none.**

 **Review Replies for Ch.22**

 **Sairey13:** **I believe that the Shredder would want to try to keep Leo alive because he could use Leo as leverage against Miwa. Also, I believe you are secretly evil at your thought ;P. Sadly, I probably won't go into a TON of more details or explain more stories about some of Leo's tortures during being a captive with Shredder. I want to finish this story up fairly soon. That is a pretty cool idea though! Yup! Leo's back into some training! Focusing on other things (like how he focused on saving Splinter in the 2003 series) will help him conquer his fear, in my opinion. However, there are plenty of other lessons to be learned in training in Ninjutsu ;). Thanks for reviewing as usual! :)**

 **Insanity21** **: I'm glad I was able to help you a little with stress. Stress sucks! I'm sorry you got to go through stressful situations. Here's a new chapter! Have fun wigging out! Lol ;)**

 **BubblyShell22:** **Thanks for the compliment! Master Splinter definitely helped Leo through the first step of conquering his fear. Here's a chapter! Thanks for leaving a review! :)**

 **JamesBondfan007:** **Awesomeness! I will :). I have already made a note about it and once I use the idea in the story, I will make sure to give you some recognition! Thanks for reviewing and giving me permission! :) :) :)**

 **tmntlover2013:** **Thank you! I'm glad you are liking the story! Here's the next chapter and I hope you like it! :) :) :)**

Miwa's P.O.V

"I'm really not sure if you should be up and walking around already," Donatello (my brother, I remind myself) tells me from where he stands at my side. "Are you sure you don't want to rest for another day and try tomorrow?"

It takes a lot of willpower to look at him with a soft, understanding gaze, rather than a glare. One of my biggest pet peeves is people thinking I can't do something. The fact that I also can't stand just lying around is another reason to why I am so eager to move around again. "I'm sure, Donnie. I can do this." My determined and stubborn voice causes him to bite his lip, showing he wasn't going to argue anymore and his discomfort, before sending me a nod.

Giving him a grateful smile, I look down at my long, pale legs. My entire body, including my legs, were super pale and skinny, probably making me look ill and fragile. The years of having little food and little to no sunlight haven't really shown when I was a snake, but they are definitely showing now.

I keep having to remind myself that it is my own body I am staring at. No longer do I have a long tail, but two sticks known as legs. Instead of having two extra mouths on my hands, I have a total of ten fingers with long nails. Now, I don't have metal coverings my body, but a small layer of peach skin. Another thing I now have to get use to is the long, dark hair that originates from the top of my head before reaching down to my lower back. Maybe, once I really get back on my feet, I'll cut my hair short so I don't have to worry about it.

Looking up, I try to gather strength from my family around me. My father (my true father) stand next to the door, giving me space. Despite the distance, I can see his eyes calculating and tense, ready to assist me as soon as possible. Standing next to him is Mikey. When our eyes meet, he immediately sends me a small, reassuring smile. Returning the smile, my eyes travel down to the small form that is holding his hand tightly. When waking up as a human, I knew things might be a bit rough between me and Leo; I'm just glad that they are not as bad as I originally imagined, though. He sends me a small smile of his own, but I also notice him swallowing had with nervous energy. I ignore it, though, and I send him a smile of my own.

One the other side of me is Raph. Both him and Donnie are watching me carefully, ready to catch me if I were to fall. I'm not going to fall, though, because I am determined to start walking again. After all, it took me minutes to learn how to slither around on my tail.

Breathing out a large breath of air, I slide by body forward. A shiver climbs up my spine when my feet touch the cold sewer ground. It doesn't stop me from slowly putting pressure on my feet and removing pressure from my hands. Before I know it, I'm standing tall, slightly swaying at the sudden change in balance. Jumping slightly, I feel Raph's three fingered hand grip my arm, stopping the swaying of my body.

"Just trying to help you out there, Princess," he says in response to my surprise. A smirk crosses his face when I look over at him, causing me to send one back.

Returning my gaze to my pale feet, I feel Raph slowly removing his hand. Once his skin is no longer touching mine, I slowly lift up my right foot before taking a step forward. My foot turns slightly when it lands and I feel my body slowly tilting to one side. Donnie and Raph grab one of my arms, carefully helping me stand straight once again. I fight off every nerve on my body telling me to shake them off of me and allow them to straighten my stance once again. After forcing a grateful smile to them, I begin taking another step. The pattern repeats for every step I take as I realize that finding my center of balance will truly be harder than I have originally imagined.

It's not until I look up till I realize I am now standing alone, without Donnie or Raph by my side, and I am walking towards my father. Even though his exterior is calm and collective with his hands behind his back, his eyes tell me how anxious he really is. Trying not to feel like a child, I keep my back straight as I continue with each step I take. After a few moments, I stop my movement, standing face-to-face with Master Splinter.

He gives me a small smile, his eyes looking soft and calmer. Opening my mouth to say something, I feel my balance shift and become uneven once again. Falling forward, I feel strong arms wrap around me for protection and assistance. Looking up from his chest, I notice his expression didn't really change. Returning it, I push myself against him so I'm standing on my own two feet. Cautiously, I turn around to face Donnie, a proud, reassuring smile on his lips as his eyes scan my body to check if I am alright.

"I told you I could do it," I tell him, a smirk spreading its way across my chapped lips. His response is a roll of his eyes and a small laugh from Mikey. Turning my head, I take a glance at him and Leo next to him. My son's smile is a bit wider than before, causing my smile to grow as well.

Despite the fact I totally nailed walking around in the Lab by myself for the first time, I decided not to argue when my father and Raph helped get me move to the couch, resting in its soft cushions. It seems like a lifetime ago when I sat her as a serpent with Leonardo resting with Mikey. Before that, the softest thing I had in years was a small pillow and blanket me and ,y don't got when we followed orders or during the winter season. The room we were held in always got cold during that time.

Master Splinter comes back from the kitchen to join me on the sofa, carrying a small bowl of soup in his hands as steam rises up from the burning liquid. Giving him a gracious smile, I eagerly take the bowl from my father, hoping not to look too eager and greedy. After I was able to open my eyes for longer than five minutes, Donnie explained to me that I will have to slowly work on increasing my appetite since I haven't been eating actual food while I was unconscious. (Of course, it was after he said that did I feel like I could eat a horse or something!)

I don't remember a lot from my coma-state. There have been moments where it felt like I was in a meditative state, battling the serpent version of me for dominance. At one point, I also felt like I have seen April, watching her trying to help me during one of my fights. Besides those small clips of what may or may not be reality, I just remember the never-ending darkness, as if I have fallen into a dreamless sleep.

"You do not know how glad I am to see you face-to-face once again, my daughter," he tells me, watching me carefully as I put a spoonful of soup into my mouth.

"It's the same with me, Father," I answer, glancing up at him from the warm bowl in my hands. "Ever since I learned the truth about my mother and you, I wanted us to be together and start over as a family; but the anger and desire for vengeance overpowered me and I went to go fight the Shredder myself. Since then, I never got a chance to return to you, no matter how hard I tried or how badly I wanted to." Looking down, I come to a sickening realization. "I am no better than Saki. My need for revenge caused me to not only ruin my life, but hurt you and the turtles as well!"

"Do not say such a thing my daughter!" Master Splinter replies sternly. Feeling his hand under my chin as he forces my eyes to meet his, I notice them holding kindness and love. "You are nothing like the Shredder. Saki does not show compassion to others unless it benefits himself; you saved Leonardo, my son and your brother, as if he were your own. Also, you are willing to accept that you acted irrationally, and will use your mistake to grow and work to prevent it again. The Shredder would never admit that what he did was wrong.

"You are a Hamato," he finishes, putting an arm around me and pulling my body towards his. "You are nothing like Oroku Saki."

Smiling, I rest my head against his shoulder, a warm smile crossing my lips. My heart and soul are comforted by his words and I can feel myself be a bit more at ease. Sitting like that for a couple minutes, we enjoy each others company until Master Splinter says he is going to lead the guys in training.

Master Splinter mentions training Leonardo in Ninjutsu until he returns to his normal for; or, if he returns to his normal form. I agree with my father but the thought of Leo becoming older again continues to flood my mind. Donnie hasn't told me anything about how his research is going on Leo; honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't really have the chance to work on it.

Even though I miss the older version of Leonardo and I know his family needs him, a large part of me doesn't want my son to leave. I have been with him for years now, watched him grow, helped him through captivity. Despite what Raph said when we first came here, about him not being my son, he sure grabbed my heart as if he were my son. After raising him and being with him for so long, I am almost afraid he would return to his normal state. He may be unsure and maybe a bit afraid of me in this state, but at least I can still seem him laugh and smile at me in his cute little way.

Speaking of Leonardo, he races into the room, a wide smile on his face and Kino held tightly in his arm. Skidding to a stop, he stands in front of me, the smile smaller but still holding tightly to his lips. His chest rises and falls quickly as he eyes glance from me to the kitchen entrance. "Hi, Mommy," he greets casually.

"Hello, Leonardo," I reply, a small smile growing on my face as well. "What are you doing?"

"Me and Uncle Mikey are playing Hide-and-Seek! He found me and tried to grab me but I was too quick and ran in here! Now I have to hide again so he doesn't see me."

"Let me help you then," I tell him, my smile turning into a smirk. My heart flutters with joy as my son grins and nods his head quickly. After gesturing for him to come over, I turn around and grab a warm blanket behind me, removing it from its resting spot on the back of the couch. Glancing at the kitchen one last time, I order my son to sit on the floor in front of me before draping the blanket over his small form. Despite the fact it was fairly obvious that there was a child under the random lump of blankets next to the couch, I knew Michelangelo will continue his "search" for him, knowing full-well where Leo is.

Sure enough, my brother (which still feels strange to say or even think) MIchelangelo, comes walking in, a playful smirk spread across his grin face as his eyes glance from one side of the room before sweeping to the other. His eyes meet mine and he gives me a warm smile in greeting, one I return with my own.

Tip-toeing towards me and Leo, his eyes fall on the small lump before looking back at me. The knowing, playful grin is replaced with an understanding smile which match his soft eyes. Giving me a small nod, he continues to move through the room, now heading towards the Dojo. "Huh," he starts, moving further away from us. "I guess Leo isn't in here either. Man, I sure hope I find him before training." After turning around to send me a final wink, he enters to the Dojo, shutting the door behind me.

As soon as the door rests closed and secure, Leo's head immediately pops up from under the covers, his ocean eyes glimmering in joy and victory. Shaking off it off, my son hands me the blanket. The glimmer dims in his eyes lightly as I reach my five-fingered hand toward the blanket to accept it from his three-fingered one, but it is still shining. "Thanks for helping me hide, Mommy!"

His gratitude and the fact he is so willing to try to hide his uneasiness for me causes me to give him a smile to match with my response, "You're welcome, my son."

It was then the awkwardness settles between us. Leo's eyes travel down and around the room, avoiding my own eyes. My mind races with possible ideas I could say to the hesitant child. Thinking quickly, I ask about training with Master Splinter. The question gets my son to give me a smile, obviously excited and joyed over the topic. Deciding to sit on the floor rather than stand, he begins to explain to me how he has opened up to my father and how he managed to slightly overcome his fear. Despite the fact it is most likely a small milestone compared to the battle he will face ahead of him in conquering his fear of heights, his pride in accomplishing it could melt the coldest of hearts.

Once finished with his tale, his wide blue eyes blink at my face, seeming to observe it closely. "Your...um," he pauses, searching for the right word," hair is dark like Casey's!"

After blinking in shock, I chuckle at the sudden change of subject. "Yes," I say between breaths, "yes it is. Although, I would rather have dark hair like Casey's rather than red like April's."

Wringing his hands together, he looks down at his lap while his cheeks turn their unique shade of red and green. "Can I feel it?"

Smiling at the innocent question, I give him a nod as a response, making sure to give him a fairly big gesture so he can see it through his avoiding gaze. Leo sees my answer, takes a deep breath, and comes towards me with Kino held tightly in his hands.`

Once reaching my side, he sits with his knees on the couch, looking at me with a slight unsure expression. Sending him a reassuring smile, I watch him hesitantly reach for my long, hanging hair. His small hand gently brushes through it, dark strands passing around his fingers. Glancing at his eyes, they hold both curiosity and wonder. Even though my son has been around kind humans before (April and Casey) I doubt he has ever learned and observed the human characteristics many mutants don't have.

"You know," I begin after a few moments of Leo messing with my hair, "despite not having snake heads on my hands anymore, I can still tickle you!" Without giving him time to truly process my words, I quickly move towards him, my new ten fingers dancing up and down his sides. After slightly jumping at my quick movement, he giggles and laughs, trying to escape my grasp. The memory of me tickling him as a snake before we managed to escape the Shredder's Lair.

After many pleads from my son, I finally obey and cease my fingers' movement, leaning back with a small, triumphant smile. Leo continues to lightly giggle before sighing and resting his head on my shoulder. "I love you, Mommy, even when you look like this. Sometimes I just forget it's you."

I nod, understanding perfectly on why he is reacting this way. Moving my arm, I wrap it around his shoulders, pressing him closer to my body. "I know, Leo; it just takes some time." Smiling down at him, I lean down to press a kiss on the top of his head. "And I love you, too, my son."


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: I apologize greatly for the long wait and short chapter. My mind has been a dark place where doubt, loneliness, and sadness rests. Creativity hasn't exactly returned yet but I'm working hard to give you guys the chapters you greatly deserve! Hopefully, the wait won't be as long. Thank you so much for staying with me and giving me support!**

 **Disclaimer: Twenty-four chapters in and I'm still doing this! *sad sigh* Nope, nada, zip, zero, none.**

 **Review Replies from Chapter 23:**

 **Insanity21:** **Yay! I'm super glad you liked it! I am getting nervous because since I'm slowly getting more into another story I am writing, I'm beginning to lose interest and focus in this one. I'm glad though you (and hopefully others) are still liking it! Also, I'm glad you know how this works }:). Don't worry, travesty is imminent! Thanks for leaving a review and, again, I'm glad you are enjoying the story!**

 **BubblyShell22:** **Thanks for writing a review! I'm glad you are enjoying the story! I hope it's not losing its spark or anything to you! As for Leo, I'm sure there will still be a few bumps in the road thanks to his past, but he has overall accepted her new form :). Here's your next chapter and I hope you like it!**

 **tmntlover2013:** **I'm glad you liked the chapter! I'm sorry about the wait, but I hope this chapter is worth it! Thank you so much for leaving a review! :)**

Raphael's P.O.V

"Mikey! If you don't hurry it up, we are leaving without you!" I call throughout the Lair. After catching me and my brothers in another wrestling match in the living room, Master Splinter told us to go on patrol. We even got Casey to meet us on top of Mikey's favorite pizza place, one of our normal meeting spots.

Hearing Donnie chuckle behind me, I turn to glare at him. In response, he quickly looks away, avoiding my gaze but I can still notice the small upward curving of his corner lips. We were suppose to leave half an hour ago; however, before we walked out of the door, Mikey said, "One sec, I need to grab something." I should have known by now that what that secretly means is "I'm going to be gone for half an hour but stay right here and wait for me."

"Uh, hey guys?" Turning around, I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. From behind me, I hear Donnie stifling his own chuckle as Mikey came towards us slowly. At first, he looks completely normal; both nunchucks held tightly in his belt along with an assortment of ninja stars and smoke bombs. He also put a couple extra padding and protection around his arms and legs. His bright orange bandanna contrasting brightly against his green skin and bright baby blue eyes. However, after a closer examination, I noticed the large limp he had. Looking down, I met face-to-face with navy blue eyes. Leo gives me and Donnie a shy, sad smile as he holds Mikey's leg tightly with both his arms and legs. "I think I have a problem," Mikey states.

"Looks like you got a little parasite on your like there, Mike," I joke, a large smile on my face.

While Mikey chuckles, Donnie gets down on his knees to be in front of Leo at eye-level, a soft smile on his face. "Hey, Leo. Why are you clinging onto Uncle Mikey's leg?"

Leo's gaze falls downward, not meeting my brother's brown eyes. "I don't want you guys to go," he says quietly, tightening his grip around the green limb. While the words process in our minds, the small turtle looks up, meeting each of our eyes. "Want you to stay."

Donnie's body stiffens slightly, obviously not liking how hurt and almost scared the small mutant sounds. Turning his head up to Mikey and to me, searching for support, he clears his throat lightly. "It's okay, Leo," he says, and I can hear the soft, reassuring smile that is probably plastered on his face. "We will only be gone for a few a little while; and, we are also just going on a quick run. Don't worry, it will all be fine. Besides, you can hang out with your Mom and Master Splinter."

"Yeah," Mikey chimes in, looking down at Leo, still glued to his leg. "You can watch all kinds of movies! And, you know what? I'll even let you eat the last slice of pizza!"

That catches his attention. "Can I have a little bit of ice cream, too?"

After accepting a small nod of confirmation from Donnie, my youngest brother makes a face that seems as if he was having an internal struggle. I can't keep the small smile from playing on my face. Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Mikey gives Leo a nod. "I guess. Just tell Mommy and Master Splinter I told you you can have some, okay?"

"Okay," Leo replies, slowly (almost hesitantly) releasing his hold, standing mere inches from the much taller turtles next to him. Once his hands are free, they begin to intertwine and move in a nervous-like manner.

Taking advantage, me and my brothers walk quickly towards the sewer tunnels, not wanting to be held back anymore. We are all excited to finally go topside again, feeling the wind against our skin, racing against each other from one building to another, and having the sense of freedom. I could practically feel the waves of anticipation rolling off of us. Despite having a break from all the action, we are definitely going to benefit from this patrol, I feel.

"We'll be back in a bit," I call over my shoulder, hearing Mikey say something about him beating us to the streets. Like that will ever happen.

Glimpsing over my shoulder, I find Leo watching us leave, his eyes big and looking hesitant as we leave the Lair. The light feeling of dread fills me before I shake it off quickly. Sending him one last smile, I follow my brother's, hearing them laugh ahead of me.

It was Donnie who reached the streets first; however, it was only thanks to his quick thinking and the small traps he set for me and Mikey that gave him first place. Once I reach the streets, he is already waiting for us, leaning against the nearest building with a smug, victorious smile on face. Walking past him, I give his shoulder a rough punch, causing him to mutter, "sore loser," under his breath. Despite how quiet it sounded, I could hear the smile as I climb up to the roofs.

Behind me, my brothers talk among each other happily as we race from rooftop to rooftop. Even though I'm not involved in the conversation, I smile to myself at the tone of their voices. They sound so free and relieved, as if the recent events never happened. I believe we really deserve this. (Although, a long vacation probably would have been nicer.)

Jumping to a new building, my feet connect with the concrete, sending small sparks of discomfort at the contact. Slowing my speed slightly, a shiver travels down my shell. Everyone has had that moment when you feel like someone is watching you; but, for a ninja, it normally meant something bad. Trying not to make it obvious that my stomach was turning with new nervous energy, my eyes casually scan the rooftops around me and my brothers. A shift in the shadows to my right.

Before I can voice my concerns, Donnie calls for my name, sharply and urgently. Dread fills me as I turn to look at my brother, only to find him kneeling next to Mikey. My youngest brother grips his head tightly, his face almost touching his knees. As I make my way to my younger brothers, four Foot ninjas land in front of me, blocking me from going any further. Glancing behind me, I find us surrounded by an army of the ninjas dressed in black, their emblem burning brightly on their shoulders. Swallowing hard I take my Sais out of my belt, spinning them expertly in my hands.

I guess it's impossible for us to have a break, after all.

 **Miwa's P.O.V**

Blinking my weary eyes open, I pull the warm blanket around me closer. A part of me was afraid it was all a horrible dream until I find myself still laying on the bed in Leonardo's old room after I finally get rid of the sleep in my body.

After the turtles, my brothers, left the Lair to go on a run, my father offered me to sleep in Leonardo's room so my son and him could play while I could rest on a bed much more comfortably than the cot in the infirmary. Despite the hesitation I felt, I decided to take his offer, my body already feeling exhausted. Donnie said I had to get plenty of rest, what better place than an actual bed.

Sitting up, I stretch my arms and allow a large yawn to escape my mouth. Smiling lightly, I look down at my hands, the memories of snake heads once being there seeming to be a dream. My mind still has a hard time processing everything that has happened in my life. Imagine, if the Shredder ended up wanting to stay in Japan and never come to NYC, I would never have met my true family. I would have never have brothers at my side or a son that was once one of my greatest friends.

Scooting my legs over so my toes touch the cool floor beneath me, contrasting greatly against the warm blankets I was once lying under, causing my body to give a sharp shiver. Sighing, I tense my body up in preparation for whatever soreness I will feel. Since walking in the Lab, it has become easier to stand on my own to feet. Even though sharp pain pulses through my limbs when I often take a step, it's worth being able to walk around my new home so I can explore it myself. Letting out a sigh of breath, I stand up from the furniture covered in blue blankets. Wincing slightly at the aching I feel, I decide to look around Leonardo's room.

Mikey once told me that, when he was upset, Leo ran in here. Master Splinter and I talked about the possibility that he subconsciously remembers bits of his old life, but it's too early and too difficult to tell.

Smiling lightly, I walk around the small room, my eyes studying the shelves covered in action figures. The toys seem to be based off of something like Star Trek related characters. Next to them are books resting against each other, my mind recognizing a few of the titles. Comic books, movies, weapons, and pictures litter the organized room, holding memories and stories I don't know. Maybe, in the future, I will be able to learn them and even be part of the future stories this family will make.

After looking at everything I can without touching or moving a single object, I decide to go downstairs and check on the rest of my family. The Lair seems strangely quiet; it is normally filled with so much noise that hearing the unique silence makes goosebumps crawl up and down my skin. Goosebumps, I forgot what they felt like.

Looking around, I find myself alone. It's not until I look closely at the Dojo doors and faintly find the outline of my father kneeling and meditating does my rapid heart calm down. Curiosity gets to me when I do not find another small silhouette next to him. Leo did tell me he was going to meditate with him.

I hesitate at the large doors, my outstretched hand curling my fingers close as unease settles. There have been moments when the Shredder was furious at me for interrupting any personally training he was practicing. Although it is very clear Master Splinter is not the same way, I have not spend much time with him. Will he get mad if I come into the Dojo unannounced? Would he be just as unforgiving as the man I was with for so long?

"Come in, Miwa." The voice causes me to jump as it breaks the quiet around me. Feeling some heat travel to my face, I quietly open the Dojo doors. My father sits straight, his eyes lightly closed as deep breaths enter and escape from his body. At first, I think I heard wrong or my mind made me believe I heard him when he was really silent; however, I let out a small sigh when his brown eyes open before turning towards me and giving me a reassuring smile. I return his gentle smile before walking towards him and sitting down.

"Why did you hesitate, my daughter?" he asks, confusion and concern filing his wise eyes.

Swallowing, I look down at my hands. "I guess the memories of my past or harder to forget than I originally thought," I explain, feeling slightly embarrassed. I'm safe here, I know that; but why is it so hard for my mind to truly believe it?

"Be patient," he tells me, taking one of my hands and forcing me to look up at him. "It is understandable to be feeling what you are feeling. Do not believe we judge you for requiring time to adjust to both your new surroundings and your new body."

I nod, silently thanking him. Looking up, I find him nodding in response, the smile still resting on his face. As silence once again, my eyes scan the Dojo for my son, finding it odd and beginning to slightly worry when I can't find him. "Master Splinter, where is Leo?"

Confusion falls in his face, probably matching my own. "He left me a while ago, telling me he was going to join you in resting."

Fear settles, causing my calm heart to once again beat furiously. This time, however, it is much worse. I don't need to tell my father that Leo didn't need to join me, for I'm sure my quick movements of getting up and running out of the Dojo to yell his name and search for him was enough for him to get the message. Sure enough, I hear his calls quickly following my own.

My feet skid to a stop, my body filling with dread. Hands shaking at my sides, I walk towards the small object that was somehow able to catch my attention. Picking it up carefully, I find my mouth going dry, opening and closing as it tries to get the words out. Rushing thoughts ambush my mind, causing billions of thoughts to come and attack me at once. As my ears catch Master Splinter stopping behind me and quietly calling my name, I make no sound. All I can do is turn around and show my father Kino, alone and abandoned by my missing son.

"He left," I say quietly. He doesn't need to ask where my son went , because we both had a really good guess. Leo went after the guys, whether missing them or thinking they are in danger is beyond me; however, I do know that if we don't get him back soon, something terrible could happen. There was no way to get rid of that horrible feeling in my gut telling me so.

Without a word, I turn around (dropping the elephant plushie to the ground) and race towards the sewer tunnels, desperation filling my entire mind and body. I don't turn back or reply to my father as he calls my name, desperation filling his voice as well. It's not until a sharp flash of fire shutters to my legs, causing me to gasp and meet the concrete ground. Pushing my upper body up with my arms, I blink back the tears that threaten to appear.

"Miwa!" my father cries, sliding to his knees to examine me for any injuries. "Your legs are not ready for this level of activity. You must rest and take it slow."

I look up at him, fear, anger, and many other emotions spiraling through me. Gripping his arm, I make his gaze meet my own. "Bring my son back to me," I tell him. I'm both surprised and impressed by the power in my voice.

Understanding flashes through his eyes and he grips my hand tightly. "Do not worry, I will not lose him again." Without a word, I watch him quickly stand up before running through the tunnels. I do not dare to even look away until the darkness engulfs him and he disappears without a sound.

 **A/N: Yup, that is a cliffhanger. What can I say? Evil author, right? I'll try to update ASAP.**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Sorry about the short chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own them.**

 **Review Replies from Chapter 24:**

 **Insanity21:** **You're dying? NOO! I'll bring you back to life with this chapter! You're going to college? I wish you luck! Maybe this will help relieve some stress! Thank you so much for sticking with me and leaving a review since Chapter 1! It really means so much! You are amazing!**

 **Sairey13:** **Probably one of my most favorite traits Leo has is his dedication and will to protect his family! At this point in the story, no one knows if it will be possible for the young turtle to return to his age before Baxter Stockman turned him into an infant. Donnie has been a bit too focused on Miwa, since her mind was slowly going away. Also, I believe Miwa sees this small Leo as a totally different person than the ninja Leo we all know and love, calling him her son rather than her own brother.**

 **BubbleShell22:** **Yeah, Leo leaving probably wasn't very good… or was it? *cue mystery/suspicious music* Thank you for leaving a review! :)**

Leonardo's P.O.V

I feel bad for lying to Master Splinter and leaving Mommy, but I know something is wrong. Since my uncles left, I have had a bad feeling in my tummy. To let them know where I went, I left Kino next to the exit; just in case they realize I'm gone and start to get worried. Hopefully, I can get my uncles back before they even notice I'm not there anymore.

The sounds of water and small animals running fill my ears as I run through the hard tunnels. Even though I have only been in the sewers once, with my Uncle Donnie after he and the others helped me and Mommy, I somehow know where to go. It's like I have seen it in a dream, running through the tunnels before pushing the heavy cover to the side, finding myself on the streets where the horrible humans live. I guess not all of them are horrible, though, since April and Casey seem very nice.

Gasping, I feel my foot slide on something wet, causing me to fall onto the hard ground below. Hissing sharply, I roll around, sitting down and looking at my knee. In the dark, I can make out a small red mark, gently dripping with blood. It wasn't bad, but it hurts a lot, causing tears to fill my eyes. Swallowing hard, I sniff loudly, standing up and rubbing my knee.

Then, I feel it; a sharp pain centering in my stomach again; however, this one was different than the one from earlier. This time, it seemed to burn and jump around, almost like the butterflies in my stomach were on fire, burning me from the inside. My head pounded, like when the Fish-guy from the Bad Place punched me a lot. I want to cry; I want to curl up into a ball and wait for Mommy to find me and carry me back home. Maybe my uncles would find me, and it turned out that bad feeling I was feeling was just me getting sick.

Before I am able to lay on the ground, something quick flashes through my mind. _Run,_ I can hear something say; they sound worried. _Hurry!_

Swallowing hard and gathering my strength, I finally stand up, my knees shaking a little. Once I begin to run through the sewers again, the pain in my head and stomach slowly goes away. By the time I finally reach a long, metal ladder, I'm breathing heavily and loud; however, I almost wish I was still running. The ladder is tall, causing me to shake at the fear I'm starting to feel.

 _You need to go,_ the voice seems to tell me. _They need you!_

I sigh, trying to be brave like my mommy. "You can do this," I tell myself, grabbing onto the first rung. "It's just climbing a ladder; there's nothing to it." Looking upward, trying to focus on going upward instead of looking down at the ground. Feeling my knees rattle together twice, I put one foot on the bottom rung, quickly followed by my other foot. "Nothing to it."

Holding my breath, I reach for the next rung, lifting my body up a little. Releasing the breath I was keeping, I force my other hand to let go before moving onto the next rung, one higher than my right hand. My legs copy the same movement as my hands performed, one moving upward before the other goes up one higher. Never leaving the heavy lids above me, my eyes stare upward, my breathing trying to be even and keep the fear away.

Reaching the lid, I know I have reached a problem. To open the lid, I would have to push it open and remove one of my hands from the ladder. Looking down, I stare at my hands unblinkingly, like if I would look at them long enough, they would just do it. Knowing it won't happen, though, I swallow hard and slowly remove my left hand from the metal rung. Moving quickly, but slow enough I won't lose my balance, I press my hand against the cool lid above me. Swallowing my panic, I put all my focus into pushing it, realizing it was a lot heavier than I thought.

"I have to help them," I try to tell myself, closing my eyes tightly. Giving a small yell, I give the cover a final push, finally pushing it out of the way. My yell turns into one of fear, though, when I feel my body fall away from the ladder. Before my brain can leave its panicked state, my right hand grips the rung tightly, my left hand quickly moving to grab the metal that will keep me from falling. The force causes me to swing back towards the ladder, my body banging against it roughly. Biting my lip, I let my body just rest there, trying to calm myself and breath in and out deeply. After this, I never want to climb a ladder ever again!

A big breeze causes me shiver, wrapping my arms tightly around myself. It's so much colder here on the surface; and it the ground isn't as nice as the smooth ground in the sewers. I wonder why my uncles wanted to come up here in the first place. Before I can think much about it, though, another bad feeling spikes through my stomach. Trying to stick to the shadows like Mommy taught me when we were in the Bad Room, I head forward, hoping to find my uncles before something bad happens to them!

My legs start to hurt; it feels like I have been running forever. I know I haven't, but I don't think I have ever ran this far before! Deciding to take a break, I turn into a dark street between two really tall buildings, leaning forward and putting my hands on my knees. Taking deep breaths, I try to calm myself down and catch my breath.

Yelling and loud noises come from above. It's fighting and I know it for a fact. Looking up, I immediately know the source of it, mentally grimacing at how high the noises are coming from. Getting ready to again convince myself that I can climb to the top of the building, I feel another sharp pain, quickly being followed by a "Raph!" from the battle above. It's Donnie, and something is not right. Throwing fear out the window and no longer thinking, I begin to make my way up the building, the trip seeming a blur as I focus on getting there in time.

Pushing myself onto the roof, I let out a small gasp as I see the scene before me. Uncle Mikey is on the ground, looking kind of sick with some dark spots across his skin. There's some robots in black clothing, just like the ninjas in the Bad Room, next to him. They seem like they are trying to move him; are they trying to take him away?

Next to them is Uncle Raphie, laying on his shell. Like Uncle Mikey, his eyes are close and his face is kind of pale. I feel a little sick myself when I notice a bunch of red on his left arm; it looks like it got cut up really bad. Also like Mikey, his body is covered in bruises and some small cuts; however, the cut on his lower leg doesn't look very good either. Swallowing hard, I try not to think of all the blood that is coming out of my uncle. Instead, I turn my attention to the ninjas trying to take him away as well, moving him further and further away from the battle that holds my final uncle in the middle of the fighting.

Uncle Donnie seems to be standing above all the ninjas, taking two down at a time with his Bo staff. It scares me how tired and worn out he looks, his movements seeming less like a dance and more like jerky moves. Watching a ninja trip him, causing his body to fall onto the stone roof, I panic. "Stop!" I scream, slamming my mouth shut as soon as the word leaves my mouth.

The damage is done, though. Everyone is surprised by my voice, obviously not realizing I am here. Between the ninjas' legs, I can see Donnie staring at me, his eyes wide and his face looking lighter. His head moves slightly from side-to-side, as if he isn't believing I'm here. Swallowing, I stand my ground, wanting to do everything I can to stop them from hurting my family.

Two ninjas in front of me turn towards each other before running towards me. Letting out a breath and closing my eyes, I try to push my fear away. Telling myself I can do it, I run forward to meet them. Before we run into each other, I slide down between his legs, grabbing his right leg and pulling. It causes the ninja to fall to the ground with a loud thump. Wincing slightly at the sound, I push myself back to my legs. The second ninja watches his partner to fall before coming back towards me. Thinking quickly, I roll to the side so I get behind him before kicking the back of his knee, causing him to fall. Not giving him a chance to get back up, I send a punch to the side of his face, causing him to look just like his friend.

That's when they realize I won't be as easy to take down as they originally thought. More come at me, causing me to gasp before dodging their attempts. It scares me how quick they are. Somewhere in the background, I hear Uncle Donnie yelling at them to leave me alone and to focus on him.

Feeling something sharp scrape my arm, I let out a small yelp, realizing I can't keep dodging them forever. Rolling away from another ninja, a grab a handful of rocks before throwing them at the nearest one. It doesn't do anything but causes his head to turn slightly at the force. Standing on my two feet again, I get ready to run, trying to find a way to go help my only standing uncle. Before I can come up with a plan, I feel two strong, metal arms lift me off of the ground before tightly holding me against their chest. Panic fills me when I realize I have failed, allowing myself to become captured.

As soon as they have me in their hold, the ninja runs away from the fight, the rest of the army following us. I let out a terrified scream when he jumps to another rooftop, showing me how high we are and how far we would fall in gravity pulled us down.

" _If that's how you want it to be," the Sharp Man says to Mommy before snapping his fingers. The hands let go, causing me to fall._ _I scream. I'm helpless, unable to do anything! Air smacks my face as the ground gets closer and closer._

"NO!" Uncle Donnie's yell brings me back from the terrifying memory. Turning my head, I can see him fighting off the last of the ninja, looking at me in desperation. I want to yell for him, to beg the ninjas to let me go, to do something! However, fear causes me to only stare at them with wide eyes until I can no longer see my family.

 **A/N: Leo getting captured is only HALF of the idea** **JamesBondfan007** **gave me. Thank you so much for sharing the idea! The other half may or may not be used later ;). You'll have to wait to find out. Please share your thoughts in review form.**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: It took a while, but I finally found a better way to do a page break, or switch to someone else's point-of-view! As you can see, technology isn't really my thing ;P**

 **Disclaimer: I own a pet turtle I can try to mutate with some homemade ooze, but no TMNT ;)**

 **Review Replies Chapter 25:**

 **Insanity21:** ***Watches you wide-eyed before takes your sombrero* Yeah, Leo is in quite the situation ;). And here's another for you to enjoy! Thanks for the compliments and the reviews! *hands you new mug***

 **BubblyShell22:** **Yeah, because putting him through all that torture again would be mean… *begins to think before putting on an evil smile*. Anyway! Thank you for the compliment and review! Hope you enjoy this new chapter!**

 **leggo lover 99:** **Yup, even in kid form, Leo always runs into some trouble ;). I'm glad you loved it! Thank you so much for reviewing! Here's the next chapter! :)**

 **MoonMaiden7241969:** **I'm glad you like this story! I'm also really glad you think this story is different from the other turtle tot stories! I was almost afraid people would find this idea old almost; then again, though, who doesn't like a good turtle tot story every now and then ;). Thank you again for the compliments and the review! :)**

 **Random person:** **Yay! I'm glad you are loving the story! Yeah...Leo goes through a lot at such a young age… I** _ **almost**_ **feel bad ;). Thank you so much for reviewing! Hope you like this chapter as well! :)**

Master Splinter's P.O.V

Hearing my son's cry allows me to know his location, but causes my heart to pick up a rapid, unsettling pace. Fear for my sons, as well as my grandson, pulse through me as my fast speed somehow quickens. Swallowing hard, I make a sharp turn down an alley, forcing myself to slip out of the shadows for a small moment. As quickly and as quietly as I am able to, I move up the fire escape, almost tripping over the ladder's rungs.

Ignoring gravity's attempt to pull me down, I push myself onto the building, my eyes widening at the sight that lays before me. Two of my sons are on the ground, unconscious and lightly bleeding. Neither appear to be too dangerously injured, but I am well aware that looks can be deceiving. The amount of blood that have lost isn't life-threatening; however, it does not make me comfortable. It won't be until I can get my boys home and look over them when my heart and my will even consider calming.

Forcing my gaze away from my two sons, I look up for the other turtles. It does not take me long to locate my son, Donatello. Fighting just three more Foot ninja, I notice how exhausted he looks, his movements slow and sloppy. Worry fills me as I rush to assist him, taking the ninjas out as quickly as possible. The ninjas must have been tired of the fight as well, for they go down much quicker as I originally thought. As the last one finally falls to the rooftop, I scan over my son's body. Like his brothers, he is covered is minor injuries, appearing to be more minor than theirs. His breathing is the only noise between us, seeming to overpower every other noise the city produces. What concerns me the most, however, is his eyes. They are red, surrounded by a small trail of water, tears. Not only is there physical evidence of his sadness, but also what his eyes hold. Pain fills them, a deep sorrow and anger that I have rarely seen in my normally calm child.

It wasn't until my eyes scan our surroundings when my mind forms a possible explanation to my son's emotions. "Leonardo?" I ask, afraid I already know what he will tell me.

After the pain and sorrow in his eyes seem to double, he lowers his head, shaking it lightly. "He wanted to help," my son says quietly. "Leo fought well for being just a kid; but, it wasn't enough. I couldn't stop them from taking Leo, Master Splinter! I'm so sorry," my son trails off, clenching his fist and looking off to the side.

Part of me wants to run. I want to chase after my son, or my recent grandson, and bring him back home. Losing Leonardo already once, I did not want to lose him again. Instead, though, I push these thoughts in the back of my mind, knowing I could use them in the future when we leave to retrieve him. Now, I must focus on my son that stands before me, hurting and beginning to travel down the road of self-blaming.

Laying my hand on his shoulder, I force my eyes to soften as he lifts up his head, our eyes meeting. With my thumb, I gently brush away his angry tears before placing that hand on his other shoulder. "You have done everything you could have, Donatello," I tell him sternly, not wanting him to believe the situation was his fault. "You were outnumbered, and nothing more could have been done. Come, assist me and bringing Raphael and Michelangelo home. Once they are taken care of, we will rescue Leonardo. I will not allow that man to hurt our family anymore."

My words bring determination in my son's eyes, causing him to give a strong nod in agreement before turning his attention to his brothers. Together, we pick them up and take them home, our trip being silent except for the dripping of water in the sewers. As we get closer to home, I find the spot which I have left Miwa empty, causing me to sigh in relief in knowing she has returned home. The relief is soon followed by a cold hand gripping my heart. There is no doubt in my mind that my daughter will be crushed once she hears the news we are about to deliver. Swallowing lightly, so my conscious son does not see the nervous energy that is beginning to flood me, I continue to move forward, my head held high as the Lair's entrance comes into view.

The sound of the television playing through our home reaches my ears as we close the distance between us and the Lair. From the couch, I can see the top of Miwa's head, watching as she senses our presence before turning towards us, her eyes wide and looking almost hopeful. As soon as our eyes meet, I am sure she already knows about Leonardo; however, that doesn't stop her from slowly lifting herself up and making her way towards us, her eyes widening at the sight of my sons' conditions.

"What happened to them?" my daughter asks, her voice filled with worry and concern. Her eyes glance over Michelangelo's form in Donatello's arms before scanning Raphael in mine. Bringing her attention back to me, she asks, "Are they alright?"

"They will be fine," I answer, moving towards my son's lab with my children behind me. "Their injuries are minor, but will require attention and time for healing. Once they are in better condition, we will discuss what has happened tonight."

Before I can step foot into the Lab, a soft, gently hand with five fingers lays on my shoulder. Closing my eyes lightly, I do not turn around, preparing myself for what will come next. Thanks to Saki, I do not know how daughter will truly react, for I have only spent a limited amount of time with her. Based on what I have seen, however, she has become quite protective of the child. Swallowing hard, I stay still, allowing the hand to rest there for a few moments.

"Father," Miwa starts, her voice light and full of emotion, "where is Leonardo? Where is my son?"

I turn my head halfway, showing her that I have heard her and she had my attention. "Leonardo is in the hands of the Foot. Let us seek to Michelangelo's and Raphael's injuries; then, tonight's events will be revealed and we will plan on bringing Leonardo home." Without another word, I continue towards the Lab, feeling my daughter's hand numbly fall off my shoulder.

From behind me, I can hear Donatello quietly and quickly reassure and comfort Miwa before he follows me, placing his brother next to Raphael. Looking up, my son's eyes and mine meet before we give each other a nod. Silence surrounding us, we quietly work on healing my sons, trying to keep my mind off of our missing family member.

* * *

 **Donatello's P.O.V**

Tea has never really been my thing. Leo was the tea drinker, Mikey can drink about anything his creative mind can think of, Raph would drink soda and the occasional beer when he was with Casey, and I was the coffee drinker. However, after Master Splinter came back from the kitchen to join me and Miwa in the living room, I couldn't turn down the warm cup of tea.

When my brothers and I had nightmares as kids, we would search for Master Splinter, waking him and searching for comfort. While talking to us, I remember my father always giving us a cup of tea, telling us it will calm our nerves as well as assisting us in sleeping. Sometimes I wonder if he put something in the tea, because, just like he informed us, we would find ourselves waking up in a warm bed the next morning. Even if we wake up from a terrifying dream or have trouble sleeping, we sometimes go to Master Splinter, asking him nicely to give us a small cup of his tea. Every time, he will give us a warm smile before he tells us "Of course, my son."

I sit in a chair we got into the Lair a couple years back, sinking into its cushions and leaning my head back. Across from me, Miwa sits on the couch, her legs folded underneath her as a sad, almost haunting look fills her face. Under the emotional pain, I can see the burning anger that rests deep inside her. Even though I have not had the chance to truly know and understand my sister, I am sure she has a temper you don't want to play with. She doesn't say anything, though; bringing the small cup in her hands to her lips, she silently takes a small sip before setting it in her lab once again.

Master Splinter sits next to Miwa, blowing on the warm liquid before tipping it towards his lips. A couple minutes past before he finally looks up, his eyes meeting mine. I swallow at the sight of the sadness that burns in the powerful orbs. For a minute, I wonder if my eyes look like my sister's, my father's, or a bit of both.

"Donatello," he starts, his voice sounding loud in the darkness, "please explain to us what happened tonight."

So, making my voice steady, I tell them what happened tonight. I explain how the Foot first shoot a poison dart at Mikey before advancing in on us. Recalling how Mikey was struggling with keeping his eyes open, I explain how he was quickly down for the count. My mind going back to the fight, I recall to them how me and Raph fought next to him to protect him, before the Foot separated us into separate battles. Moments later, I caught a glimpse of Raph following, blood flowing out of him, causing me to tell out his name. When it comes time to talk about how Leo seemed to appear out of nowhere, I have to clear my throat before describing how his loud shout caused me to turn around to see him. By the end of the story, Master Splinter is nodding quietly as he processed my tale while Miwa stares at her cup sadly.

"As soon as I realized he was gone," she starts, her voice sounding distant, "I knew exactly what he was up to." Her eyes look up to meet mind, shining with forming tears. "Some things just never change, I guess."

"We will bring him home," my father reassures, resting a hand on her shoulder before she looks up at him. "As soon as your brothers heal, we will bring Leonardo home."

"With all do respect, Sensei," I begin, forcing myself to lean forward, "I think we should act before Mikey and Raph fully heal. Based off of Stockfly's old notes, they were planning to create Leo as their own soldier, erasing his memories and raising him as a follower of the Foot. Even when Leo was accidentally reverted to a child, the Shredder decided to just kill Leo before using him as leverage against Miwa. Who knows what they will do to him now; we can't wait to find out."

"I agree with Don."

Blinking my wide eyes, I turn around to find Mikey standing in the doorway of the Lab, leaning against the stone wall for balance and support. Even with the wall's assistance, my brother was still slightly swaying as he used one hand to rub his temple.

"Mikey!" I shout, quickly moving to my brother's side. "What are you doing? You should be up yet!"

He gives me a weak smile as I take his arm over my shoulder, allowing him to lean on me for extra support. "I'm fine, bro. Just feeling a bit sick and dizzy is all." His expression turns serious as his gaze turns to our father and sister. "If we wait till Raph and I are a hundred percent, they could have already done something to Leo."

"What if we wait till tomorrow?" I suggest, helping my younger brother to the now empty chair. "Raph can help us get away and wait in the Shellraiser; Mikey should be feeling better after some rest and plenty of water and can come in with us."

I hear Mikey chuckle behind me. "Raphie will not be happy about that."

Ignoring my younger brother, I continue the watch my father's eyes, hoping to convince him while searching for his answer silently. After a few moments of studying each other, Master Splinter's eyes look down to Mikey, then sliding over to watch Miwa. Once he looks carefully into all of our eyes, his gaze softens before he closes them while releasing a sigh.

"Alright. We will go tomorrow night. Until then, I want Michelangelo and Raphael to rest and to be cared for. When everyone is well enough, we will go over a plan after breakfast tomorrow." Sensei stands up, symbolizing that the conversation is finished. "Donatello," he tells me, "check over Raphael and Michelangelo a final time before going to bed." His attention goes to my other siblings. "Miwa and Michelangelo, retreat to your beds as soon as possible. We have had a long day today; and tomorrow will not be easier.

* * *

 **Leonardo's P.O.V**

I shiver before I open my eyes. Before seeing anything, I already know where I am. Blinking them open, I swallow really hard before pushing myself off the ground. The room I hate is the same as it was when I left; except, it's seems so much bigger and emptier without Mommy here with me. Wrapping my arms around me, I scoot over in the corner, pretending the walls where arms trying to give me a hug. With trembling lips, I remember all the bad things that have happened here. I remember the needles and the punching and my stomach hurting because I didn't eat.

Looking up, I hear the sound of someone walking towards my room. Wanting to look tough, I wipe the tears that have fallen on my cheeks. My family wouldn't want me to show these bad people how scared and sad I am. I will try to be strong and brave, for them. Until they come to get me, I will pretend to be strong. The large tiger man comes in, holding a shiny gray tray in his hand as he watches me with his one eye. He doesn't say anything for a minute, just closes the door behind him and stares at me. Swallowing, I start to wonder if this is part of the plan; maybe he wants me to think I am safe before hurting me. Wondering what he has planned in store for me, I don't realize him walking towards me. When I do, I squeeze myself in the corner tighter, trying to make more space between us.

Tiger Man stops in front of me, his eye never moving from my face. Still, he hasn't said anything. In response, I try to glare back at him and look tough and mean. I don't know if it really worked though.

Lowering himself, he bends his knees before quietly setting the tray on the ground in front of me. Taking a chance, I look down at the tray. A small bowl holding something that kind of looks like oatmeal or something sits on it with a small bottle of water. Even though I'm a little hungry, I really don't want to eat whatever is in the bowl.

"Save your strength, cub," the Tiger Man says, making me jump a little and look back up at him. He stands up really tall again looking down at me. "You are going to need it for tomorrow."

Before I can think about saying anything back, he turns around to leave. He doesn't even look back as he shuts the door behind him. Once the loud bang fades away, everything seems to become really quiet.

Looking down at the tray, I decide to grab the bottle of water. Remembering how mom would always make me drink a bunch of water when we were here together causes my heart to hurt. Swallowing large gulps, my throat seems to burn and tighten as I close my eyes, trying to stop the tears.

It's not long before the bottle is empty and I take it away from my mouth. Sitting it back on the tray, I watch as it wobbles before falling over. I try again, but decide to give up when it falls again. Instead, I lean my head against the wall, closing my eyes and listening to my breathing. The quiet room causes me to shiver slightly, making me wrap my arms around myself. Releasing a breath, I decide to try to get some sleep and try not to think about what tomorrow will bring

 **A/N: Hey, I was forced to by S.O.W., the Secret Organization or Writers to leave off this chapter like that. Which brings me to this…** **PLEASE READ:::: I'm thinking about doing a story with the Turtles talking to S.O.W about why people write FF about them or why they write the stuff they write about them. If YOU want to be part of this FanFiction (as a member of S.O.W) PM me so I can talk to you about it! Hurry, though! Before I finish the story! :)**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Not much to say but I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Nada.**

 **Chapter 26 Review Replies:**

 **Insanity21:** **Wow! You are going crazy in your review! ;) I'm glad you like Karai being protective of little Leo. After being with him for all that time and treating him as his son, there has to be some cute protectiveness going on. And, of course, who CAN'T love that little turtle? I'm sorry for the long updates. This is one of my busiest years of school and life is getting in the way of my fun creativity! I'm really glad you are loving this story so much, though! Hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you so much for reviewing! :) :) :)**

 **BubblyShell22** **: Thank you! Another story I have read, "Hurt but not Broken" by KimiNinja03, has a similar concept where Tiger Claw goes behind the Shredder's back to help the turtles, at least for that time only. Even though I don't really exaggerate the idea in this story, I really like it and believe Tiger Claw would make the more honorable move. Yeah, it took a couple days for me to finally look at the awesome reviews you guys gave me :). I seem to have this nasty habit of updating my stories when there is a glitch; just my luck, huh? ;). Thank you so much for the review and I hope you like this chapter! :) :) :)**

 **Mewfem:** **Yeah, Leo is in some pretty big trouble… Don't worry, his family will rescue him...in time }:). Thank you so much for reviewing! It means a lot! :) :) :)**

 **Guest (September 27th):** **Well, I can't reveal too much on the outcome of this situation. Unfortunately, I will mention that it will not be your third guess, the one you were hoping for. Even though that would be such an awesome plot twist and I believe that that idea could be turned into a really interesting/cool story, I won't be adding it to this story. I have a bunch of other story ideas I want to work on but I have to finish this one first, which will be completed fairly soon. Thank you so much though for sharing your guesses and reviewing! Sorry for not being able to work off of your idea :(. Hope you enjoy this chapter all the same, though!**

Raphael's P.O.V

Limping into my room, I shut my door harshly behind me, fighting back the urge to slam it with a loud bang. As I stomp towards my bed, I can still hear my family talking into the other room, closing any loose strings in our rescue plan to take Leo away from that horrible place. If my leg wasn't throbbing, I would kick the wall before sitting on my mattress. Before throwing my head back onto the pillow and staring up at the wall, I would have thrown something across the room if my arm wasn't wrapped up and sore.

It has been a while since I have been this frustrated and angry; I thought I have gotten a good hold onto my rage and temper, but I guess it still has this nasty habit of coming up when I don't want it to. Letting out a small sigh, I grab the pillow my head was resting on before pressing it against my face, not allowing myself to scream into it. I'm not a kid anymore; I'm not the hot-headed teen I was years ago. Yet, no matter I try to tell myself that, I still feel like the same turtle I was back then.

I should be grateful; I should glad I can join my family in rescuing the small turtle that was once my brother and now my nephew. However, even though I know this, I can't help but be frustrated and upset. Instead of standing with them in battle, I have to drive them there and home, waiting for them to take down our enemies. As the leader, I should have helped keep my brothers and Leo safe. Instead of fighting for my family, I was the second one down, leaving Donnie to defend himself as well as the turtle tot. Because of this, Leo is back in that Shredder's dungeon without anyone watching out for him now. Who knows what could happen to him. Just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine.

A soft knock comes from my door. Unable to stop the soft, annoyed sigh from escaping my mouth, I tell whoever the person on the other side is to come in. For some reason, I'm not surprised when my youngest brother comes into the room, his blue eyes shining brightly against the shadows in the corner. It's only then I realize that the only light I have turned on was a small pumpkin halloween decoration I got as a kid.

After turning on my light, Mikey walks towards me, not saying anything as he sits on the edge of my bed. Since Leo disappeared when we almost sixteen, Mikey has been there to help put out the fire of my rage. It was like he became my peacekeeper, knowing exactly to turn my ragged, frustrated breathing smooth and even once again. Sometimes, it takes me a minute to realize how much my little brother has grown, no longer being a goofy teen, but rather a free-spirited, caring young adult. It almost makes me feel old.

"You doing alright, bro?" he asks, breaking the silence that started resting inside my room.

Sighing, I push my body to sit up, wincing slightly as my arm protests under some of my weight. Preventing a grunt of pain from escaping from my lips, I instead clear my throat before sitting next to my brother, clasping my hands together in my lap in front of me. "Alright, I guess," I reply under my breath.

"Kind of bummed, huh?" Mikey asks, the slight smirk on his face not meeting his eyes.

I huff out something that sounded like a dry laugh, finding it funny how well my brother can read me. "I guess," I sigh, leaning against the wall behind me, putting my hands behind my neck. Closing my eyes slightly, I expect Mikey to joke and try to lift up my spirits. After a moment of only hearing silence, I open one of my eyes to find my brother patiently watching me, waiting for me to explain my feelings, I guess.

Letting out another loud sigh, I lower my arms and stare ahead of me, too embarrassed to look my little brother in the eye. "It's just," I search for my words in a minute. "It's just that I have been the leader for years now; and, I'm definitely not the best leader, I don't think I'm a bad leader. Yet, despite that, I'm going to be in a car just sitting and waiting for my team, my family, to get Leo, the same little turtle that use to be my older brother, who has been captured while I was on the rooftop unconscious!"

My mouth gulps for breath after my rant, my hands tightening into fists as I release my anger. The sound of my deep breaths is the only thing that fills my room, no words currently being exchanged. Moments pass by, and I begin to wonder if I have made a mistake ranting to Mikey. After all, I don't want him to think less of me or feel bad for me. Also, he was unconscious when Leo was kidnapped, too. He's not feeling guilty about it, is he?

Mikey bursts out laughing, holding his sides as he closes his eyes tightly. Despite feeling some sudden heat flood my cheeks, a small smile lifts my face. It's good to hear my brother laugh like this. The smile lasts for only a minute, though, before I glare at my brother. "What's so funny?" I ask him.

He finally stops laughing, letting out a small sigh as he smiles at me with a smile only he can give. "For a little bit, you reminded me of Leo."

Blinking at him, I think back to moments when Leo would get frustrated. There were times when he would blame himself for something happening to our family when there was really nothing to be done. Sometimes, Leo would try to push himself, no matter how hurt he was, just to be there for us. Sitting on the sidelines was something me and my brother both despised. Chuckling slightly, I could see how Mikey could see Leo when I was ranting.

"I guess I kind of sounded like him," I admit softly, looking down at my hands again as more memories play out in my mind.

"But don't worry about the mission tomorrow," he tells me, scooting closer and looking me in the eyes. "There was nothing you could have to keep Leo from being kidnapped. Also, you may not be on the battlefield like you are use to, but you are still our leader, and you are still going to have our backs. If we suddenly need backup or have to get back home ASAP, I know you got us covered." Mikey places a hand on my shoulder and I finally look back up into his bright blue eyes. "We'll bring him back home, together."

I smile at my little brother, his words repeating themselves in my mind. "Thanks, bro," I tell him, lifting up my fist between us.

"No problem, man," he replies, his fist hitting mine before raising above it and bringing it down to snake it from the top. I copy the motion, thanking God for giving me the little brothers I have.

* * *

Shredder's P.O.V

My lips curl upward when the sound of the turtle's resistance could be heard from the hallway. Finally, I could get revenge on him, Karai for leaving me, and Hamato Yoshi for taking away the future I was suppose to have with Tang Shen. Standing next to Tiger Claw and Xever, we patiently for Bradford to bring in Leonardo. With my hands behind my back, I force my face to be blank, preventing anyone from seeing the dark excitement that runs through my body.

"Let me go!" I hear clearly. Turning my attention to the entrance, I find Bradford dragging the turtle towards the large table in front of me. He holds the child by the arm tightly, almost lifting Leonardo's small body off of the floor. No matter how hard he attempts to push Bradford's large hand from his skinny arm, we all know that he has no chance of escape.

He opens his mouth to cry out again before quickly shutting it, his eyes meeting mine. It brings me great pleasure to see the blue orbs widen as fear slowly fills them. His throat swallows harshly and it takes him a moment to fight against the fear and shock before struggling harder than before. The scene reminds me of how Leonardo fought before Stockman transformed him into a child by mistake. Like before, he has to know that he will accomplish nothing by fighting and resisting; but, he will do it all the same. I believe the turtle simply enjoys being difficult and causing nothing but trouble.

Bradford lifts the child up before forcing him onto the metal table, his strength causes the turtle's tell to harshly hit it with a large thump. Xever takes advantage of the turtle's pain to quickly bind him with the leather straps, keeping him in place as we work. As Leonardo yells and fights against the straps against his arms, legs, and chest, I turn to Tiger Claw, giving him a nod to proceed with the plan. Something flashes in his eyes, but he turns around before I am able to recognize what it is.

"Based on what I was able to observe as the fly worked," he begins, referring to Stockman, "and from what I was able to gather from the notes that haven't disappeared, I believe I can recreate what he was working on."

"Good," I reply, watching the turtle squirm with pleasure. "The Hamato Clan has fought me too long, preventing me from giving them the revenge the deserve. It is time they finally feel the pain I have been feeling for so many years. Now, I will enjoy watching my enemies break and fall apart."

"Leave my family alone!" Leonardo screams, fighting against the binds with strength that silently surprised me.

"You should be more concerned about yourself, _niño_ ," Xever replies quickly, a grin growing around his sharp teeth.

"I have the serum ready, Master," Tiger Claw informs me, holding up a syringe filled with a light blue liquid.

"Excellent, begin the procedure," I command, taking a step back as my minions begin holding the child down. Tiger Claw sends me one final glance before advancing on Leonardo, his face wearing a blank expression. A small smile creeps onto my face as I watch the turtle lose some of its green, trying its best to break free and escape.

"Don't!" he yells. "Please! No more! No more!"

Unable to hold it back any longer, I laugh as the child's screams fill the air around me as the silver needle pierces his skin and the blue liquid enters his bloodstream.

 **A/N: Just love those cliffhangers! How was Shredder's part? This is like my first time writing in his P.O.V.**


	28. Chapter 28

Life Just Got Weird

Chapter 28

 **A/N: Thank you for being so much for your patient! A lot has been happening. We are close to reaching the end of our story and there will be two different endings. Thank you again and I apologize for the wait.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't anyone or anything from the TMNT universe.**

 **Review Replies from Chapter 27:**

 **Sairey13:** **Thank you so much for the review. As for what has happened to Leonardo and what the serum was for, you will have to find out as this story continues ;). Hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks again! :) :) :)**

 **MoonMaiden7241969:** **Yeah, Leo's going through a lot right now ;). Sorry for the wait in update; I hope this chapter is worth it!**

 **leggo lover 99:** **I'm glad you like Shredder's part. It was interesting writing in his P.O.V for the first time ;). He is definitely going to get it once Leo's family finds him ;P. Thank you so much for reviewing! Hope you like this chapter!**

Miwa's P.O.V

Leaning over Raph's seat as he drives toward Shredder's Lair, I impatiently tap my finger against the leather. So badly my mind craves for Leo, my son, to be in my arms. My heart continues to pound painfully in my chest as images of what they could be doing to him flash through me.

"Please, try to have patience, Miwa," my father says behind me. My gaze moves from the front window to him, searching his dark orbs. "We will bring him home."

"I know," I tell him, swallowing hard before returning to my original position. "I'm just feeling anxious, I guess."

"How do you think I feel? I have to wait in the Shellraiser while you guys get all the action!" Raph's voice held a joking tone, but there was a hidden layer of anger and disappointment. Even though he didn't voice it, I know for a fact that he was upset with his assigned position. If I were to be in his place, I would be feeling the exact same way.

"Don't worry, Raphie, we won't be keeping you waiting for too long. And once we get back, you can be our crazy, reckless getaway driver! How many people get that kind of opportunity?" Mikey asks, his voice uplifting and cheerfully. A smile somehow makes its way across my face, even despite the current problem we are wrapped up in.

"How are you feeling Mikey?" my brother in purple asks, his eyes narrowed in curiosity and concern. The only reason Donnie has agreed to allow him to join was because of how critical it is for getting Leo out.

"Besides a killer headache and an upset stomach, I'm A-okay!"

Donnie nods in understanding before looking down at the computer screen in front of him. "Okay, Raph, stop here. This will give us enough distance to stay close to Shredder's Lair without getting detected." Raph presses his foot onto the brake, causing the van to suddenly slow to a stop. My hand tightens Raph's seat for some extra support until the Shellraiser comes to a complete stop. "Okay, guys. Make sure you have your earpiece in and on. We will stay and radio contact the whole time."

"Rodger that, Purple Leader!" Mikey chimed through the walkie talkie part of his ear piece. Watching Donnie roll his eyes at our younger brother, I couldn't help but smirk. Honestly, I don't think there is anyway I could get annoyed by Mikey's attempts to always keep us smiling.

"Stay cautious and vigilant, my children," Master Splinter says. "We stay together and fight united."

"Hai, Sensei," we all say at once. The sound of our voices replying in unison causes a shiver to snake up my spine and a warm, proud feeling to enter my chest.

Raphael gives us all a nod before opening the doors. Taking a deep breath, I make my way onto the streets of New York. My family follows behind me as I move towards Shredder's Lair, determined to find my son.

We walk in silence, stopping at the steps of the tall, dark building we have left our home for. Standing next to my father and Donnie, my mind begins to replay memories of when I looked upon this building as a teenager, when I use to live here and look up to the Shredder. It's a shame that those days were nothing but lies. Swallowing hard, I turn to look at my real family. Mikey's blue eyes meet mine and he gives me a reassuring smile with a green thumbs-up. Returning with a small smile of my own, I turn towards Master Splinter, waiting for him to give the order.

"I will handle the Shredder while you three search for Leonardo. We will leave as soon as he is in our position; he could need immediate medical attention."

At my father's words, I can feel my heart beat faster and my face grow pale. Despite the truth he speaks, visions of Leo bloody and unconscious in a cold, dark cell flash before me. Anger returns to me like a spark catching a field of dry grass on fire. Nodding in understanding, I position myself ready to quickly jump into Shredder's Lair, adrenaline already beginning to flow through me.

"Let's go get Leo back," Mikey says, a layer of seriousness painting his voice. It sounds foreign but right at the same time.

As one, we charge into the building, Father and Donnie kicking the doors open. We are immediately greeted by a swarm of Foot soldiers; images of myself being held captive swarm my mind before me. Allowing anger to flow within me, I pull out my tanto blade, slicing through my enemies. The battle around me becomes a blur of motion, my mind unable to follow my family as they fight for my son, for Leonardo. A large amount of sparks flash in front of my eyes as the last Foot soldier falls in front of me, causing me to snap back into reality. Then, a soft, gentle hand rests against my shoulder. Looking up over my shoulder, I find my father, giving me a proud smile and a gentle nod. We were both excited and anxious to finally see Leo again.

A loud scream pierces the quiet air around us, causing my body to stiffen and tense. There was no mistaking the voice that strikes my heart; I have heard that scream multiple times while I was captive. No matter how many times his yell of pain reached my ears, my heart could never harden against the pain. Every time felt like the first time, making me panic and be filled with heartache and fear.

"Leonardo!" I cry out, racing down the hallway. I ignore my family chasing behind me and calling my name; I am too focused on reaching the holding cells. On my mission, however, I am forced to slid to a stop. Swallowing down my fear, I allow a small growl of anger to climb up my throats as I come face-to-face with the man I have before called "Father." Behind him stands his goons and Foot ninjas, appearing to be ready for a fight. Good, I am, too. Removing my tango from its sheath once again, I take a step forward. A hand stops me, though, causing me to look up and find Master Splinter staring at the Shredder with a great amount of hate.

"I will take care of Saki," he mutters quietly. "Fight against his army; we must reach Leonardo as soon as possible."

"Fool," Shredder hisses. "It is already too late; you have failed your child!"

His words are like a gunshot, starting the battle instantly. No matter how much my blood boils to get revenge on the Shredder, I instead run to meet Tigerclaw, letting Splinter take on the monster. Their hatred and war has started so much before my time, causing the battle wounds to strike deep and powerful. They need to finish this themselves; it's the way it has to go.

Tigerclaw's machete meets my tanto, our strength pushing against each other. While my opponent is busy fighting against my blade, my eyes dart to study my family. Master Splinter and the Shredder are further away from the battle, too focused on each other. Donnie swipes Xever's feet from under him, taking the time to knock down two Footbots as well. Mikey dodges a strike from Bradford, swinging his nunchucks towards the back of his head. As the wood meets the dog-mutant's skin, my younger brother lands on a Footbot, causing it to crumble and spark. Proudly smirking at the strength my family possesses, I return my attention to my own opponent.

I twist my body, causing Tigerclaw's weight to push him forward and off-balance. Assisting gravity, I send a powerful kick to his back. Hearing him growl, I watch him turn around a begin shooting at my with his laser gun. Being light on my foot and moving quickly, I swing my blades to oncoming Footbots, trying to shorten Shredder's army.

Something hard strikes my legs, causing them to swing out from underneath me. Although I try to put my hands out to touch the ground first and accept most of the impact, I can still feel most of the air escape my lungs. Looking up, I find a Footbot, glaring down at me with it's red, blank eyes. Moving quickly, it pulls out a Katana, obviously attempting to strike me and possibly end me. Before I can grab my tanto to block the attack, the robot ninja is shot by a laser, falling to the ground. Surprise fills me as my eyes widen, I couldn't have expected that to happen.

A large paw grabs me by the front of my clothing, lifting me up and pushing me against the wall. Sharp, cool metal touches my neck harshly as my eyes meet Tigerclaw's golden ones. Forcing myself not to swallow, I continue to glare at him. "You have kidnapped, tortured, and hurt my son and I," I whisper darkly to him. "He is nothing but a child anymore! How can you just let this happen? What happened to honor?"

Something changes in his eyes as I speak, something I can't place a name on. My body doesn't move when I feel his machete loosen it's bite. As his face moves closer to mind, I can feel my heart rapidly beat in a panic.

"He is being held in the same cell you both were in before," he whispers to me. Another rush of surprise and shock strike me, making my eyes widen. Honestly, I didn't really expect my words to reach him. "I'm sure you remember the way, cub."

"I'm not a cub anymore," I reply, my previous shock leaving my face. Lifting up my knee, I strike him in the stomach, causing him to grunt and move back. Once his weight is gone, I fall to the ground, my feet touching the hard stone. Rubbing my neck, I straighten my legs, staring at Tigerclaw, attempting to calculate his next move. We stare at each other, not removing eye contact as he stands to his full height as well. After a few moments, my mind searches the memories of Tigerclaw assisting me and Leo. There have been multiple times he provided more food than necessary, or went easy on us with the Shredder watching from over his shoulder. Letting out a small sigh, I slowly lower my weapon before putting it away, showing him I will not bring any harm to him. He copies my movement, causing my speeding heart to relax. Giving him a small nod in gratitude and understand, I watch him return it.

A pain-filled yell pierces the air. Looking up towards Splinter's and Shredder's battle, I watch as my father pulls his blade from the metal-covered human. The Shredder falls, attempting to push himself up again before failing. He lifts his head, his cold eyes meeting mine. However, I am shocked to see emotion in his orbs. Sadness and regret fill them as he reaches a hand towards me.

"Forgive me."

Even though he whispers those words, they seem to reach my ears with such ease. Before I can consider how to respond, he completely falls to the ground, going still and limb. My body is unable to move as Master Splinter moves towards me. Although he appears sad about what he did to his former brother, I can see dedication and determination fill him. I'm sure he is feeling the same way I am; we need to find Leonardo and just get out of here.

When Saki's body hit the ground, the battle seemed to come to a stop, no one moving a muscle. It's not until Tigerclaw shakes away his shock and screams "Master!" before it starts up again; but, the atmosphere is filled with a new energy. The Foot knows they have lost; they know victory is ours. Tigerclaw picks up the Shredder, some of the leader's blood dripping onto the floor and staining the mutant's clothing. "Foot Clan!" he calls out. "Retreat!" He makes eye contact with me once more before jumping and disappearing into the shadows. I watch my brothers lower their weapons, Mikey giving the ninjas some smart remark, as the clan follows suit.

"Come on," I command my family, already on the move once again. "Let's find Leo!"

The four of us race down the staircase into the Shredder's dungeon. Leonardo's scream repeats in my mind, causing my heart to beat with such urgency. After my father defeated the Shredder, I assume that the rest of the Footbots got the message and took off. No matter how many corners we turn, not a single dark-clothed ninja is to be seen. Despite the lack of Footbots, I continue to scan the shadows, making sure we don't run into any more complications.

My legs pulse with energy, making my feet skid across the stone when I attempt to stop. The large door stands in front of me, tall and cold-looking. Reaching for the handle, I begin to push down on it and open the door. Unfortunately, before retreating, the Foot didn't unlock the stupid thing!

Panic begins to flood my mind, my efforts becoming more frantic. My father grabs my shoulder gently, but holding a firm grip. As he calmly moves me away from the large piece of metal, Donatello moves up to take my place. Reaching down, he removes a small piece of equipment. Before I can question him on it, he places the device on the keypad next to the door. Small beeping and gears working fills me my ears, but my attention mostly settles on the door. On the other side rests Leonardo, the turtle that has put his trust in me. The turtle that was the first person to show true compassion towards me; the same turtle I have raised for years!

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see a small green light illuminating from Donnie's invention as it sends a successful beep. Master Splinter allows me to pull myself free from his grasp as I once again move to open the door. This time, the handle moves under my grip and causes the door to move, filling the air with a squeaking noise. My feet carry me into the room, the light from the hallway flooding the dark space. As my eyes lay of the figure before me, a gasp escapes my lips.

My father follows right behind me, creating a light gasp as well. "Leonardo!"


End file.
